Sing Me a Lullabye
by Faery's Delight
Summary: With a shift and a lullabye, the worlds change and Aizen meets his match.
1. Prologue: It Starts With Blood

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: Prologue

Chapter title: It Starts With Bruises and Blood

Characters: Ichigo, Shiro, Ciel, Sebastian, Pluto

Word Count: 1,503

AN: Ah and we start with this wonderful chapter. Things will be laid out and explained as the story goes and the pairings will be added.

I do hope that you enjoy this story. I want to thank CutsyCat for doing such a wonderful job beta'ing this story for me and for Affy-chan (Afriel) for being there as I wrote this in a month. Seriously, that's the amount of time it took me to write this. Not including the week I spent in Washington last year for my birthday.

And to all of my readers who take the time to review, even just a one worded review: Thank you. I love you all.

Enjoy. See you Friday.

* * *

It hurt...It hurt so much. His body was in so much pain…blood running from his arms and dripping down his fingers. Blood dripping from his mouth.

He had to run, run away from the one who hurt him, made him bleed and bruise. He had to move...legs pumping...running...slipping over the white sand.

"Shi..." He choked on the name, brown eyes hazy as he fell onto his hands and knees. "Help...me..." Spitting out the blood that was quickly filling his mouth, he looked up at the sight of black sandals in his view, white filling it as the person reached out and picked him up. White hair fluttered behind him as orange spread out around the prone body of the man that had called for help.

"Shh...I know just where to take you. Don't worry, Ichi-chan, you'll be just fine, far away from here." The watery quality that echoed soothed the young man's mind and he fell into darkness, never noticing the garganta opening. Never noticing them stepping through it. Never noticing that he was laid down near a mansion on grounds well tended and cared for as a large demon dog patrolled the area.

Never noticed when Shi disappeared, knowing that his Ichi would be well taken cared of. Even as his tenacious hold on his sanity slipped and shattered like a dropped mirror, leaving the two that were mirror images of his very soul to try and pick up the pieces.

It was Pluto that found them as he walked around the grounds, doing his duty of making sure that nothing was going on that didn't happen without the young Master's express permission. He caught the first whiff of dried blood and new blood before he heard the soft whimpering and groaning. His head perked up as his eyes narrowed and he carefully made his way to the body that was covered in very little. A shirt that had no sleeves and bared a toned midriff and a pair of shorts that could barely be called decent covered a body that was littered with cuts in various stages of healing, bruises of various colors and blood, fresh and old.

He jerked back when the lean body mewled and brown eyes that were hazy and not all there looked up at him before the body once more went limp. Howling, Pluto called for his Master and his butler, lying next to the barely covered body, shifting so that he was curled protectively around it. His nose gently nudged the body once more, another mewl escaping it and telling him that the body was alive at least.

"Pluto, let me see what has you calling us so loudly," Ciel demanded as he ran up to the large hell hound. Pluto sat up, tail still slightly curled around the hurt and broken body. The youthful mans eye widened in surprise before a string of curses that would make any sailor proud slipped past his lips. "Sebastian! We have a problem here! I need your healing help," he called out, moving to kneel next to the prone body.

Brushing back the hair that looked like fire under the matting of blood and grime, Ciel very gently turned Ichigo over, finding that he was indeed a he and needed some very heavy healing. Hissing very softly, he trailed his fingers over the worst wounds, categorizing them as wounds made by manacles that had been struggled against. He knew that they would scar from how deep they were and how raw the skin around them had been rubbed, but the others wouldn't leave any scars.

At least physical scars. He could attest to how the mental scars would form, but in what way they would appear wouldn't be learned until the man was healed and awake.

"Master, let me see him," Sebastian said, moving to kneel beside his younger master. His gloved hands brushed over bruised and dirty cheeks, a soft moan escaping from the unconscious man, telling him that the other was alive but not in very good shape. "We need to take him to the house. I dare not take him to a doctor, or have one come to us. His looks are far from normal and his wounds are indicative of light torture," he said to Ciel, the younger demons eyes widening in surprise.

"What?" he hissed, eye narrowed as it flashed a dangerous red. "Let's move him then. He will be placed in the room next to ours, with the connecting door. I shall call the others together and explain the situation to them while you take care of our surprise guest," Ciel instructed.

"Yes, Master," Sebastian returned, nodding his head and carefully picking up the unconscious man, getting a whimpering whine as the pained body was shifted. He shushed the young boy with soft words as he hurried carefully to the room, Pluto following close behind him, feeling the need to protect the new man, even as he shifted into a smaller version of himself. "Stay out of my way, dog," Sebastian stated once they were in the bedroom.

Laying Ichigo down onto the bed, the demon butler was quick to gather towels, hot water, ointments, gauze, wrappings and other things to fix the wounds up as best as he could. Stripping the prone male down to nothing, he growled at finding that he would have to possibly hurt the body before him by giving him a full body bath to dispose of the grime and old blood that covered every inch of him.

Shaking his head and vowing to hurt whoever had done such a thing to an innocent like this, Sebastian moved to the bathroom as he wondered where the need to protect the young male on the bed had come from. He didn't even know his name but already Sebastian already knew that he and Ciel would find the idiot who had put their hands on him and tear them into chunks before devouring their soul.

"And it shall be so sweet to do so," he murmured as he filled the bathtub half full, making sure that the water wouldn't be too hot. Once that was done, he went back to the bed and found that Ichigo had turned onto his side and curled up, holding his ribs which made the demon note that he would need to check on them when he bound the wounds.

Picking up Ichigo, getting a displeased, pained sound, Sebastian was quick to wash Ichigo down from head to toe, changing out the water four times before it came away milky from the specialized soaps and shampoos that they used whenever one of them were wounded. Once his surprising guest had been cleaned, the demon wrapped him in a large towel and moved him to the bed once more.

Sebastian worked methodically, drying his body and hair, binding his ribs and wrapping his wounds before braiding the rather long locks tightly and finishing with placing him in a night shirt that came down to his knees. As he was covering Ichigo with a blanket, Ciel walked in, looking harassed and ready to snap someone's head off.

"I take it they took it well and started asking as many questions as possible?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow as his red eyes glowed, hands smoothing down the bed sheets.

"Of course they did, Sebastian," Ciel snorted before eying his servant with his visible eye. "You're not wearing your gloves, jacket, vest, or tie and your sleeves are rolled up. Did you give him a bath?" he asked.

"Yes, Master. He was filthy and I was not taking the chance of him ending up with an infection just because of the filth on him. Someone kept him locked up for a very long time and in some not so healthy conditions," Sebastian stated. He sat down and started to roll down his sleeves, fixing his shirt. It wasn't often that he showed a softer side of his personality, but his Master, his lover, always seemed to pull it out of him so easily. "There is some evidence that he was taken cared of while in captivity but…"

"Ahh, but he was tak'n cared of. At least as much as they could, ya understand." The watery echoed voice filled the air around them, making them look around. "Hey, over here. In the mirro'," the voice chuckled. Both of them turned to the mirror, finding a colorless, harder version of the male in the bed standing in the mirror. "I woulda greeted ya in person but our Ichi's mind is a bit of a mess and we're workin' to fix it as much as we can," he greeted, waving a black nailed finger at them.

"Who the hell are you? And what do you mean by that?" Ciel was the first to ask as Sebastian narrowed his eyes.

"Me?" the albino asked, golden eyes sparkling, making the black sclera that much darker. "I'm Shirosaki and I'm the prone ones hollow…"


	2. Hollow Talks and Information Exchanges

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 1

Chapter title: Hollow Talks and Information Exchanges

Characters: Sebastian, Ciel, Ichigo, Shiro

Word Count: 1,431

AN: I forgot to mention last chapter that this story shall be posted twice a week. Which is Monday and Friday. Mini stories shall be posted on Wednesday's. I hope you can bear with the shift as I get this going and hope that you do enjoy.

As for those who do read the tags on these chapters, things WILL BE EXPLAINED, I promise, so don't let them put you off. Any warnings are placed here before you start reading. :D

* * *

"Hollow..." Sebastian drawled, his red eyes narrowing as he sat back, body ready to attack should the creature end up posing a threat to his young master. Almost as if he knew what the demon was thinking, Pluto lifted his head from his paws, having lain upon the bed next to Ichigo and let out a fierce growl. "Calm down, I will not hurt him."

"You know what a hollow is?" Ciel asked, raising an eyebrow at the older demon. "Why have I not heard about them?"

"Because, master, they are not of this world. Of this dimension to be precise," Sebastian stated, shaking his head with a twitch of his lips. "Remember, I wished to educate you on the creatures of this world first, other worlds would be taught later. Hollows are one such creature."

"Oooh, educate the pretty lil' master there, ya big bad demon," Shiro cackled. "Looks like Ichi-chan there has gotten himself a puppy too. How old is he?" the hollowfied version of Ichigo asked, gazing at the demon dog as Pluto huffed at him, laying his head back down on his paws.

"I believe that he is well into his 40's," Sebastian stated, gazing at the door as Ciel scowled and sent a glare at him. "Forgive me, master, for not explaining what a hollow is. They are the souls of the dead who have lost, essentially, their hearts because they stayed too long in the living world. It starts when a human dies and a chain called the Chain of Fate starts to be eaten away, which is called encroachment.

"When the chain has been completely eaten away, a mask forms and their body turns into a creature called a Hollow. There are different classes of hollows but I do not know of any hollow that looks like our guest here," Sebastian instructed, eyes narrowing at the creature that just smirked with pale lips and stuck out his blue tongue.

"I'm a hollow, in a way. But Ichi-chan is what is known as a Vizard, otherwise known as a Shinigami with hollow powers and a hollow that is in their soul. Their hollows are more animal than anything," Shiro explained, his odd sounding voice serious as he lost his smile. "I was created when Ichigo did somethin' very stupid to save a friend of his back when he was 15. We fought for control for a good year before Ichigo finally just sat down with me and talked. Let me tell ya, a shinigami talking with a hollow, even one in their own soul, is not heard of. But...we came to a balance finally."

Sebastian and Ciel both looked to the young man on the bed as he moaned in his sleep and turned onto his side, curling up against Pluto, who just laid his tail over Ichigo's shoulders. "So young to be going through such things. I came to you, master, because your soul cried for retribution for your parents and because it had died in so many ways. But this child...he did whatever he did to gain his hollow just so he could save a friend. You do not see many people like him."

"No, you do not," Ciel hummed, rubbing at his mouth. "What can you tell us about him...Shirosaki?" he asked, stumbling over the odd name.

"Not much that would be of any help right now. He just turned 18, has been in an enemies hold since he was five months into his 16th year of life, he has two sisters, Karin and Yuzu, and a father, but we have no idea where they are or how they are doing. The last we heard was that they, along with many of Ichigo's human friends, had disappeared into hidin' on his orders," Shirosaki stated, rubbing at his chin. "That was before he was caught and hidden away."

"I take it that since you came here, your world is connected to this one directly?" Ciel asked, eye narrowed as his mind worked over what he was being told.

"All hollows has an instinctual 'how to' manual in their head, including hopping dimensions since Hueco Mundo and Soul Society are in ways their own dimensions," Shirosaki told the two, shrugging. "Only the really powerful hollows can cut through the veils that separate full dimensions instead of the pocket dimensions that are a part of one world. Shinigami can do it too because of their psychotic scientist that poses as a taicho."

"What in the world is a Shinigami? That is the second time I've heard that term, I think," Ciel stated, making Shirosaki burst into laughter as Sebastian smiled indulgently.

"Master, shinigami is a Japanese term that refers to those known as Death Gods. In Ichigo's world, I take it that they keep the balance of the spiritual world, much like our Grim Reapers do," Sebastian said.

"Yep," Shirosaki drawled, playing with his nails a bit. "They wield weapons called zanpakutos that are literally attached to their very beings. They were souls that have a lot of reiryoku, which translate to Spiritual Power. Only those with any kind of power to see the dead can see them, and Ichi-chan here was born with oodles of it. For now though, most of his power is being used to rebuild his mind and heal over a few old wounds. Remove a few…nasty memories. I have a feelin' that his friends from Seireitei will end up coming to hunt for him when they see the twitch of my power to get us here," he warned.

"They will have to go through a very protective demon dog to get to him, I have a feeling," Ciel said, amusement dancing in his voice. "If not Pluto, then through us and I'm quite certain that my...friends I suppose you can call them, will be willing to help us keep them away from Ichigo as he heals. I do not think that they will be helpful in getting his sanity back."

"If they try something, master, I'm sure that we can handle them," Sebastian returned, smiling lightly at the gleam that sparkled in a rich blue eye.

"Ya need to take good care of 'im," Shirosaki informed them. "He needs time to fully heal mentally and emotionally. Me and Zan will be workin' on recreating his memory mirrors but it will take a lot of happiness and care for the cracks to disappear. Remember, we're also using this time to heal a few other old wounds that he has."

"We will not let any threaten his happiness while he is here. His state of mind, what will it be like when he wakes up?" Sebastian queried.

"Like a child's," Shirosaki said, eyes sad. "He'll be happy and bright, easily frightened and hurt. But it'll get better as his sanity is rebuilt. I do suggest that you keep him away from any kind of doctor for a good long time, much less any hospital for even longer. What they would do to him would break him to a point where even me and Zan couldn't put him back together."

"He will not have need of a doctor. I am good enough of a healer to deal with anything that happens," Sebastian said, the promise evident in his voice. Shirosaki gazed at him with gold eyes before nodding.

"Good. His mental capacity will return to normal somewhere between six months to a year," the hollow said, smirking. "Until then, keep ya hands to yaself," he warned before disappearing with a cackle.

"The perversion," Ciel growled, narrowing his eyes as he glared at the mirror. Pluto huffed and eyed them with a wary eye before deciding that they wouldn't do anything to his pup just yet. And if they tried, he would eat them. Or try to at least.

"Come now, master, you have to admit, despite his mental problems, he is a beautiful man, almost androgynous in his looks. But for now, our attention should be to healing his body as Shirosaki and this 'Zan' heals his mind. And that will include clothing," Sebastian stated, standing up and pulling on his vest, tie and jacket, once more looking like the respectable butler he was. As he pulled on gloves, he turned to Ciel and said "I think I will go gather tea."

"Thank you, Sebastian," Ciel replied distractedly, watching as his surprise guest slept on, sometimes kicking out a leg, but for the most part, sleeping contentedly. "Yes, we shall protect you, young Ichigo. No need to feel anything but safe for now."


	3. Waking up and Doggy Slobber

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 2

Chapter title: Waking Up and Doggy Slobber

Characters: Ichigo, Ciel, Sebastian, Pluto

Word Count: 1,949

AN: And we come to Ichigo waking up. I am happy that you guys are enjoying this story, and the fact that I am posting twice a week on this story. :D I hope you guys enjoy. *chuckles*

A note on the Japanese: Ichigo's going to default to his native language on some things in the first few chapters. But after that he'll be more comfortable with English as his memories come back. Just to note.

* * *

It took three days for their surprise guest, Ichigo, to wake up. They had known that Ichigo's hollow, Shirosaki, and his zanpakuto spirit, Zangetsu, were keeping him under as most of the healing was done, and leaving the two men to watch over him. They had discovered that Shiro would take over Ichigo's body every five hours, do bathroom runs, eat something light and soup like, and allow for Ichigo's hair to be washed and rebraided as Ciel stripped his bed and the two remade the bed if need be.

It made it much easier for them to take care of Ichigo in the long run, which was very welcoming for them. The rest of the household had never been able to get into the hidden males room, Sebastian and Ciel wanting to protect the young man from anything that could potentially hurt him before he was able to even a little bit protect himself.

Giant demon dog that refused to leave his side or not.

Ciel was sitting next to his bed, waiting for Ichigo to wake up naturally from his forced sleep, reading a book on something or another when brown eyes had fluttered opened and delicately shaped eyebrows had furrowed. The young man had mewled much like a kitten, Pluto's head shooting up and his tail going crazy at the first sound from his pup, ruffling the bed curtains into fluttering hard. Ciel eyed them and thanked that they were so tightly held back and unable to go anywhere.

His eye twitched as the waving tail caught hold of one curtain and the ripping sound told him that it was ruined. "Pluto, down," he growled, Pluto looking sheepish even as he laid his head down next to Ichigo again. Ciel looked to Ichigo once more as his bond pulsed with his emotions, standing and waiting for the young man to notice him.

Ichigo made another sound as his eyes blinked several times in the light that came from the windows that were covered only by gauzy curtains. He looked around, looking incredibly childlike as he tried to sit up only to fall backwards with a cry of pain, his wrists making their displeasure known with spikes of pain. "Kaa-chan?" he whimpered, his voice soft, sweet. Innocent. "Doko...kaa-chan?" he asked, eyes flying around as Sebastian walked in and walked over to him, shushing him with soft sounds.

"It's alright, Ichigo, it's alright. My name is Sebastian," Sebastian said softly, sitting down next to the young man, getting watched with wide eyes. "Do you know Shirosaki?" he asked, watching as the brown eyes blinked up at him.

Ichigo winced as something like a burst of light speared through his head with the soft whispers of sorry echoed in his mind. "Shiro-kun? Yes..." he said, before hiccupping in surprise at speaking in English, turning to the strangely dressed man that his friends were telling him to trust. "What...?"

"It's okay. Shirosaki told us that while you heal, Ichigo, you would rediscover things that you've known most of your life. This includes you knowing English," Sebastian told him, smiling as Ichigo thought over that information, nose wrinkling as he pulled his blanket up to his chin.

"Zangetsu-san...says I learned it from my kaa-chan and tou-chan," Ichigo finally replied, his words halting and unsure.

Pluto snuffled and shifted closer to his puppy, sniffing at him and getting a squeak from the young male before he lapped at the others face with one long swipe, giving the skin from his barely exposed collarbone to his hairline a proper bath. Sebastian and Ciel didn't know the proper way to clean his puppy, so he was going to do it for them. Now...if he could just get the clothes off.

"Ewwww," Ichigo laughed, the sound a bit rough as he winced from the disuse of his voice box for most of the time he had been in his coma. "Down," he huffed, pushing at Pluto's large snout as he used one of the sleeves of his shirt to wipe away the drool.

"Pluto, do stop trying to slobber on Ichigo," Ciel chided softly, the young man's eyes turning to him with a wide eyed innocence that made the young demon's heart ache for him. "My name is Ciel, Ichigo. Shirosaki and Mr. Zangetsu have been speaking with us about you and what you need for a while as your mental scape heals, sweetie," he stated, sitting against the headboard next to Ichigo.

Ichigo blushed and scooted down under the blankets, looking up at Ciel shyly, blushing even more when mismatched eyes sparkled in some amusement at him. "Ohayou gozaimasu," he breathed out in greeting, getting the other to smile gently down at him.

"Good morning to you to. Do you want to eat something?" he asked, getting a shy nod as wide eyes continued to stare at him. Ciel could feel his lover's amusement echoing down their bond, making him look to Sebastian and raise an eyebrow. "If you could, I am sure that he would like some soup and some water to go with it."

"Of course," Sebastian chuckled, patting Ichigo's foot under his blanket before standing and bowing. He left as Ciel turned back to Ichigo, mind already planning on what they were going to do with the young man as they took care of him. They both had agreed during a long talk, that Ciel would not wear his eye patch, the younger of the two stating that it was better to have a differently colored eye that was later covered then to have a patch and have to explain the eye.

It seemed as if it was working with the way Ichigo was shyly shifting so that he could look at him better. Ciel's eyebrows shot upwards when the child like Ichigo shifted so that he could lay his head onto his chest, just under where his heart beat, delicate fingers curling into his jacket. He blinked several times, trying to figure out just why his charge had cuddled up to him so easily, even as the Ichigo looked up through his lashes.

Smiling and sighing, Ciel gently placed the hand that was under Ichigo onto his head and stroked down the braided hair, watching as the younger male closed his eyes and sighed, content with being tucked up against him.

"I see that he feels quite safe with you. That's a good thing considering what we're going to have to do to keep him safe," Sebastian chuckled as he arrived with the soup on a tray. Along with the soup was a plate of sweet rolls, a teapot with watered down tea and one with regular, and several napkins.

"Indeed he does," Ciel chuckled as Ichigo yawned and blinked sleepily at them, legs stretching out before curling back up. "Time to sit up and eat."

Ichigo's nose wrinkled as Ciel and Sebastian helped him sit up without touching the parts of his body that were still healing, propping him up with several comfortable pillows and making him sigh as pressure was taken off of his wounds. "Food?" he asked, the scent of the soup hitting his nose and making his stomach growl. He flushed at the indulgent chuckles, a tray placed over his lap.

"Yes, young Ichigo, food," Sebastian chuckled, putting the soup bowl down onto the tray and giving Pluto a look. "Pluto, down. You know the rules of dining when one is sick in bed. You may not be on it while they eat," he firmly stated, Pluto whining but slinking off the bed.

"His name is...Pluto?" Ichigo asked, stumbling over the name as something clicked into place, making him tilt his head. "Like the planet?" he asked, almost musingly.

"I don't believe that planet, much less anything else past our own world, has been discovered quite yet," Ciel said, smoothing a bit of hair down. "More he is named after the Roman God of the Underworld." Ichigo looked up at him with wide eyes once more, amazement spreading across his face at the information. "Let's eat now. If you need help, one of us will be willing to help you."

Ichigo nodded and turned to his tray, gingerly taking the spoon, his fingers a bit clumsy around the utensil before they fit around it. With his tongue sticking out in concentration, he dipped it into the soup, blew on the spoonful noisily and ate the bite with a hum. The entire procedure was watched by the two demons as they exchanged amused looks between them.

Ichigo was able to eat a few bites before he was forced to put the spoon down, rubbing gently at the area over his elbows and his wrists. "Are you in pain?" Sebastian asked, concern lacing his voice, the youngest of them nodding as he looked shyly up through his lashes.

"Yes. Why does it hurt?" Ichigo asked, playing with the bandages that covered his wrists and arms. Ciel placed his cup of tea to the side and smiled softly.

"You were hurt before you came to us. I have no doubt that you will remember what happened when the time comes but for now, allow Sebastian to help you finish eating and we'll see if we can't find you a more palatable tea," he offered, remembering well the wrinkled nose at the watered down tea that Ichigo had been offered.

He had said something to the effect of it not smelling right.

"Please?" Ichigo asked, his face hopeful as he bounced ever so slightly before stopping when both Ciel and Sebastian reached out to stop the bowl and tray from tipping over. "Sumimasen," he breathed, holding his hand in front of his lips and blushing heavily.

The two demons could guess what the word meant and smiled, Ciel stroking the top of his head. "It is quite alright. Draw your legs up and allow Sebastian to feed you. I'll go run a nice bath for you and you can wash properly after lunch. Does that sound good?"

Nodding his head, Ichigo drew his legs up slowly, settling into a comfortable position once more as Ciel stood up from the bed. Sebastian sat near him, and picked up the bowl and spoon, starting to feed him bits of the soup, always blowing on them to cool down the bite before offering it to Ichigo.

"Kaa-chan always did the choochoo with me," Ichigo said before accepting the bite. Sebastian went slightly stiff, his smile surprised as his eyes gazed at the innocently waiting shinigami.

"Unfortunately, I don't believe I've ever been able to do the choochoo, and I would hate to take a memory like that from you," Sebastian replied, scrambling to think of reasons why he couldn't do that while offering some more soup.

"Why?" Ichigo asked sweetly, cocking his head to the side. Sebastian chuckled and reached out with a napkin, wiping off Ichigo's mouth with it.

"Because, young Ichigo, it is a special memory of your mother," he said, placing the tray and bowl onto the side table. He made a soft sound of surprise when Ichigo pounced on him gently and cuddled into his body with a happy noise.

"Thank you, for making sure I keep my happy memories of my kaa-chan," Ichigo chirped brightly, content with practically laying on Sebastian as the demon looked to his lover with a pleading expression. He mouthed the words 'help me get me free already', but only ended up with Ciel bursting into laughter as Ichigo continued to use him as a personal teddy bear.

Sebastian just huffed and mentally promised retribution on his lover as he patted Ichigo's back gently.


	4. Wardrobe Malfunctions and Introductions

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 3

Chapter title: Wardrobe Malfunctions and Introductions

Characters: Phantomhive Household, Ichigo

Word Count: 2,682

AN: Why yes, I enjoy tormenting any character that I use. Why do you ask?

* * *

It took Ichigo a good two weeks to be able to do more than stumble around as he tried to regain his muscle control and heal enough to move without any pain. During that time, Ciel and Sebastian had spoken about finding clothing that would fit the young man long enough to get some proper fabric for Sebastian to make more clothes for him. They were not going to trust a tailor with their charge's clothing, especially since he was still so young, his mental progress steadily working its way through his fifth year of life.

Once he was well enough, Sebastian had gathered a set of clothing that was simple, all things considered, and gone to Ichigo's room to help him get dressed and ready for the first time that the rest of the household got to meet him. It had been easy to get the childlike male into the undergarments, pants, shirt, vest and tie, but by the time they had moved onto the shoes and jacket, Ichigo was down to fussing and wiggling, tugging at the clothes.

"Ichigo, please, hold still," Sebastian requested, trying to catch the slim ankle so he could place a sock onto Ichigo's foot.

"It doesn't feel right," Ichigo whined, his face pulled into a pouting scowl, shaking his head, braided hair swinging. "It's just not right," he continued, tugging his foot away and standing up, starting to pace back and forth. He wasn't trying to whine or complain or make it difficult for Sebastian, but something wasn't just feeling right for him at that moment, most notably the way he felt in the clothes.

They didn't feel right. The movement, the freedom, or lack thereof, was off. He just couldn't get it out into words, his childlike mind making it even harder for him to explain. He stomped his foot and shook his head when Sebastian stood up and tried to move near him.

"No! No, no, no, no!" he screamed, running away from the confused demon as he walked after the frustrated and nearly crying Ichigo. "Doesn't feel right! I don't like it!" Ichigo cried out, tugging off the necktie and tossing it to the ground, adding the vest to it with a howl of unhappiness. Sebastian went still as Ichigo threw what looked to be a frustrated tantrum. "I don't like it!"

Sebastian moved to stop Ichigo as he struggled with the shirt, a few of the buttons popping off, only for the young man to howl a "No!" at him and run through the connecting door into his and Ciel's room. Sighing softly, he followed after, and frowned at not seeing Ichigo anywhere. The main door was still closed, and the bathroom door was open still, so he couldn't have hidden in there or run into the hallway, which meant there were only a few places that his charge could be hiding.

Rubbing his chin lightly, Sebastian mused on where to look first before a smile quirked his lips. "Now, where could that silly little Ichigo could have gone off to?" he mused out loud, trailing over the large armoire that Ciel had specially ordered to sit solid on the floor and fit into a niche that used to hold bookcases. He could see the door was just barely opened but he would allow Ichigo to stay hidden for a moment. "Perhaps...he has hidden under the bed."

Kneeling down, he lifted the bed ruffle and made a show of checking under it, his ears catching a soft rustling sound that he knew well. It was the ruffle of an underskirt, probably one of the ones that Ciel kept for his missions and when he had to pose as a woman. Tilting his head, he stood and dusted off his gloved hands.

"No, not under there." Turning to armoire, he walked over to it and stood before the door as he stroked his chin. "Perhaps the little one has hidden himself in here, amongst the clothes," he drawled, pulling open the doors and indeed finding Ichigo sitting on the bottom amongst the clothes and holding a dress that Sebastian knew well from his and Ciel's less than proper bedroom games. "Ah ha, there you are, Ichigo. What is it that you have there?" he asked, kneeling in the armoire and looking at the dress with him.

"It's pretty and soft." Ichigo looked up as he petted the fabric, looking rather shy about something but not moving. "I'm sorry about the vest but..."

"It doesn't feel like you?" Sebastian took a guess, getting a happy nod that sent Ichigo's bangs dancing around his face. "I can understand not being able to find the right words, but I think I understand what you mean. What do you want to do then, Ichigo? You must wear clothing after all."

Ichigo blushed and looked down to idly play with the dress before holding it up. "Can I try it on?" he asked shyly, biting his lip around a smile as Sebastian smiled indulgently at him.

"Well, how about not that one? That one is much too short for a proper lady to wear in public," Sebastian replied, standing up to lean deeper into the space and digging around to find a proper dress that would go with the other's coloring. At least until they were able to make some new ones for him if it went well. "Ah ha, I think that this one shall work perfectly," he mused, standing straight once more, a large box held in his hands. "Come on, Ichigo, back to your room for me. I'll help you out of that and explain each part of this dress as we go so you understand them."

"Alright," Ichigo said happily, placing the dress back into the box that he had found it in. Clambering out, he rushed back to the room and sat on the bed, bouncing in his excitement as Sebastian gathered the rest of what he needed for the dress.

"Very well, let us get you out of those clothing. Now, these are changed a bit for a male's body instead of female's body," Sebastian said, laying out the layers on the bed, Ichigo standing up to make room. Once the men's clothing was removed, the demon reminding himself that though Ichigo may look fully grown, his mind was far from it and any sexual thoughts were pushing it. If Ciel knew, the demonic butler knew he would be sleeping in a cold bed for a few days.

As soon as Ichigo was undressed, Sebastian helped him into his stockings and garters, making sure that they were comfortable, before helping him into the specially designed underdrawers. Ichigo smiled happily the entire time, already feeling much better than he had been in the men's clothing. Even when he was put into the corset, his waist shaped just enough so that he looked more like a woman and Sebastian muttering about men with tiny waists needing to eat more.

"I eat," Ichigo pouted as Sebastian checked over the corset with a critical eye. "You and Mr. Ciel make sure that I do."

"Your waist is already so tiny that you could pass as a woman without a corset," Sebastian stated, making Ichigo tilt his head.

"Then why do I need one?" he asked, fidgeting as he tried to figure out how to breath, Sebastian standing up to show him by example and with a few pokes at the right areas. He allowed the older male to help him into the next layer that would help shape the skirt.

"Because this dress waist is a bit smaller than your natural line," Sebastian stated. "Are you okay with your breathing?" he asked, eyeing Ichigo who nodded.

"It's...odd but I can," Ichigo replied, poking at the corset for a bit. "I won't have to wear one all the time will I?" he asked curiously, tipping his head down as Sebastian knelt at his feet and tugged at the camisole that had been slipped onto his body.

"No. We'll get you some dresses that won't require them. They will mostly be used for home, but when out in public, you will need to wear one but not one so tight," Sebastian replied, sliding the petticoat on and smoothing it out with a few tugs. "Now for the dress," he said, having Ichigo lift his arms up. Dropping the dress form over his head, he was soon buttoning and lacing the simple, dark blue dress onto the young man.

The neck line came up to rest just over Ichigo's clavicle, folding over to smoothly hide a ladies tie should one be chosen to be worn. The front was smooth, only a few seams giving Ichigo what would seem as a bust as the arms tightened slowly from the shoulders going down. There were only a few buttons on the front and lacing in the back to help the shape of the dress retain its looks. The skirt though seemed to fascinate Ichigo with the way it ruffled and moved.

The front panel was smooth and simple but the sides and back were layered ruffles. As the light caught them, the shades of the dress shifted, darkening and lightening, making him giggle in delight. Sebastian smiled softly as he knelt down to make sure that all of the ruffles were laying correctly and everything was sitting right.

"Alright, Ichigo, time for your shoes now," Sebastian said, leading Ichigo to a chair and showing him how best to sit to be able to breath and not feel faint. Moving to the bed, he gathered the simple black boots that he had chosen and came to kneel before Ichigo once more. Taking one stocking foot, he slipped the boot on and laced it up, making sure that it sat comfortably on Ichigo's foot and around his ankle before continuing with the next shoe. He took his time, wanting Ichigo to look his best when he met the rest of the household, pride flooding through him at the happy smile he was getting. "We must trim your hair first and then we can put it up in a nice hairstyle."

"Really?" Ichigo asked, playing with a bit of his hair before turning to Sebastian. "Alright, I trust you. Then we will go see Mr. Ciel?"

Sebastian smiled and nodded, still amazed at how smoothly English had come to the younger man, even if he did tend to slip into Japanese when he was tired or really excited about something. "Yes, then we go see Ciel." Standing up, he found a pair of scissors and Ichigo's brush, taking the time to smooth out the long locks before trimming and shaping his hair. As soon as he had the brightly colored hair under control, he worked to sweep it into a simply elegant bun that sat at the base of Ichigo's neck with his bangs falling around his eyes and face to add to his innocent look.

"Can I see now?" Ichigo asked, barely restraining himself from bouncing on the chair as Sebastian placed the last of the pins into his hair.

"Yes, you may go see yourself now," Sebastian chuckled, patting the young ones head and letting him walk quickly over to the mirror and gaze at himself, eyes wide and happy.

"Oh..." Ichigo breathed, smoothing his hands down over his front as he twisted and turned to see all of it. "It feels right. Even if I don't like the pinchy feeling," he said, beaming at Sebastian and getting a smile from the demon in return.

"Now, you are ready to meet the rest of the household," Sebastian said, taking Ichigo's hand and leading him out of the bedroom, letting the young man gaze around them with wide eyes and awe, clinging to his arm. Chuckling, he opened the door to the dining room where everyone sat at the table, waiting for them.

Ichigo squeaked and hid behind Sebastian, suddenly very shy about everyone there. Pluto lifted his head and let his tail wave a few times, being careful not to hit anything this time. Tanaka was the first to spot them, smiling a gentle smile at the shyly peeking Ichigo, amused that the young one pulled off looking like a young girl much better than his Master Ciel.

Ichigo smiled in return, noting that the older man was dressed much like Sebastian was, thinking that maybe he too was a butler, an old man or not, and looked quite nice, despite his odd, short appearance. He looked to the other occupants who were then staring at him with various expressions of the other servants. He placed names with the physical descriptions and stories that he had heard with the person as his eyes ran over them.

Mey-Rin was sweet looking, playing with her glasses and looking rather shocked at seeing him dressed the way he was. Her hair was indeed the short, dark red that he was told it was and made him smile even more as she seemingly suddenly tripped over air. Finnian was staring in awe too, blond hair indeed held back by pins and looking very much like the gardener that he was. Bardroy did indeed look like a blond, scruffy American, cigarette perched in his mouth as he stared with wide eyes and open mouth. Snake though had to be the oddest of them all, bits of his skin looking much like snake skin as he stood and stared with a blank face and yellow eyes.

Ciel, though, was staring at him, surprised that he was in a dress and quite happy about it. Narrowing his eye, his other one covered by the eye patch once more, he made a note to ask Sebastian about what had happened earlier.

It was Bardroy's string of curses that broke the surprised silence. The man had jumped up from his chair and was smashing out the cigarette that had apparently dropped from his mouth and landed in his lap, almost burning delicate bits. Patting himself to make sure everything was still there, they all paused before looking up at the delicate giggles that came from Ichigo as he covered his mouth with one hand.

"Well, everyone, I would like you to meet Ichigo. He...she when there are other's about, will be staying with us for just over a year, if not longer," Ciel stated, Bardroy whimpering at the thought that he had just had the thoughts about the young 'lady' that he had. Sebastian just gave him a look, telling him that the demon knew exactly what he was thinking and that something would be said later.

"Konnichiwa," Ichigo greeted shyly, looking down before he looked up through his lashes and waved. Bardroy whimpered again. Finnian blushed heavily. Mey-Rin squealed softly, something about cuteness being too much before fainting right into Finnian's arms. Pluto barked happily and Snake looked everywhere but Ichigo. Ciel sighed as Tanaka's eyes flared brightly, mentally promising that anyone that dared to hurt the young 'lady' before them would find themselves over a roasting pit.

Ciel and Sebastian eyed the old man before them and sighed, wondering just how many people Ichigo would ensnare into protecting him without knowing that he was doing it.

"Ocha shimasen ka?" Tanaka asked, standing up with a smile. Ichigo blinked several times at him before beaming happily and bowing.

"Hai, onegai shimasu," he chirped brightly.

"What did he just ask?" Finnian asked, innocent eyes darting between Ichigo and Tanaka and then over to Sebastian and Ciel.

"Tanaka asked if Ichigo would like some tea and Ichigo said yes," Sebastian stated, smiling at them. As they eyed him, he could feel the questions coming on and stopped them by saying "I know many a language. After all, I am one hell of a butler."

The groans were heard all around as Ichigo tilted his head to the side cutely, Tanaka heading to make fresh tea for him and his new protectee. "What does that mean?" was the much too cute question.


	5. Ciel Comforts a Broken Heart

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 4

Chapter title: Ciel Comforts a Broken Heart

Characters: Ciel, Ichigo

Word Count: 1,668

AN: Okay, so word of warning. A bit of unintentional blood drinking. Not much in this round, just a drop of blood in tea but just to warn those who are squeamish. Anyways, we move forward in Ichigo's mental age to about six, the age and time when he lost his mother to Grand Fisher. :D

Enjoy. Review. All that jazz.

And to the guest who reviewed here: Thank you. :D I'm glad you enjoyed the story and hope that you enjoy it more as time goes on. :D

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Sitting behind his desk, Ciel wasn't quite working but rather he was watching the dozing Ichigo as he curled up under a blanket, the early afternoon sun coming in through the window dancing over him. He had to smile at some of the sounds that came from the dozing male, telling him that a memory had been rebuilt and he was dreaming of it and it was a good one so far.

They had had Ichigo as their guest for just over a month and already the young man had already endeared himself to everyone in the household, even Snake. As much as the man was rather standoffish, he doted on Ichigo, always making sure that he had whatever he wanted and was able to do his lessons that Sebastian was working him through. Lessons that included writing, spelling, and for some odd reason, piano.

Ichigo had taken to them like a duck to water, often bending over a smaller, ladies desk to practice, his writing becoming quite elegant as he got used to it even though it did take him time to write out what he needed to. He seemed to love mathematics and was working his way through the lessons easily, going back to the very start every couple of days to show that he still remembered them. His memories of basic things, such as manners, history, math, science and other such basics, were reforming with each lesson, or so Shirosaki had said the last time they had talked to him.

But they were also getting to a painful memory that happened in Ichigo's sixth year of life, one that the hollow had refused to tell them about, stating that Ichigo would tell them if he felt he could.

A sound of distress pulled Ciel out of his contemplation of how Ichigo was flourishing under their careful eyes, making him stand up and walk over to the couch that he was laying on, legs kicking as he buried his face into a pillow. His face was pulled into an expression of sadness, of pain as he twisted, almost as if he was trying to get away.

"Okaa-chan," Ichigo cried out before sitting straight up, eyes wide and wild as Ciel held him up by his shoulders.

"Ichigo, it's okay, it's just a memory," Ciel soothed, brushing a hand over the cross dressers cheek, getting wide, sad brown eyes to turn to him. Ichigo let out a sob of pain and nearly threw himself into Ciel's body, curling into the surrounding arms as the young man cried himself free of the pain that had welled up inside of him. It seemed to never end, the wound fresh and open once more, but soothing with the ability to just mourn freely, held close to someone who just cooed in his ear and didn't offer platitudes that even his childlike mind knew was empty.

"Okaa-chan...she was hurt by a big monster," Ichigo hiccupped finally, pulling away from Ciel enough to look at him. His eyes were filled with tears that spilled down over flushed cheeks only to drip down onto the blue jeweled house dress. Ciel frowned softly and wiped off the tears with one thumb, waiting for Ichigo to continue on with the memory, not pushing but just being there. "It...it looked like a little girl but wasn't. Had a white mask and hurt okaa-chan so she wouldn't wake up..."

"Oh, Ichigo. A hollow took her away from you, didn't it?" Ciel asked softly, Ichigo nodding his head and hiccupping again as he sniffled. The young lord reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a cloth handkerchief, handing it to him to blow his nose.

Ichigo took it and blew his nose, wiping it off with a sniffle before using a clean part of the handkerchief to wipe off more of his tears. "She saved me. I was stupid when I saw her, thinking she would be hurt as she stood by the river. It was coming up so fast and she was just standing there..."

"Oh, Ichigo, you weren't stupid," Ciel soothed, tilting Ichigo head upwards, rubbing his thumb against his jaw in a calming jester. "You were, and still are, very protective, even with strangers. You don't want them to get hurt and that hollow used it to its advantage," he said, pressing a light kiss to Ichigo's head. "I have no doubt that your mother wouldn't want you to be hurt and that's why she saved you. A mother's love is a very strong feeling and very powerful to go up against."

"Really?" Ichigo asked, looking up through his lashes. Ciel nodded his head and turned his head to Sebastian as the man came in with a tray with a pot with what Ichigo called 'real tea' and a pot of English tea for Ciel.

"Sebastian, if you could hand me that one album of the pictures of my mother and father?" Ciel asked as Ichigo laid his head onto his shoulder, still curled up in his lap.

"Of course, young master," Sebastian replied, raising an eyebrow at the fact that Ichigo was in his lover's lap even as he moved to a large book case and one shelf that held the few pictures that had been saved from his home.

"Ichigo's newest memory was the one of he and his mother being attacked by a large hollow. His mother died," Ciel said lowly, smoothing a hand down one of Ichigo's sides, glad that his lover had made dresses that didn't need corsets and other undergarment items. It just meant that Ichigo was comfortable and free to bounce around the house when he wasn't doing his lessons or helping someone do something, at least as much as his still healing body would let him.

"I see," Sebastian hummed, choosing the picture after a moment and walk back to the two, handing it to Ciel before smoothing a bit of hair back, tucking it back into the twisted braid. "Are you feeling okay? Would you like one of those cookies that you liked so much before lunch?" he asked, getting a shy, still sad look.

"Yes, please," Ichigo replied, nodding his head with a little smile, fingers curling into Ciel's shirt, content with lying in his lap.

"Alright, a nice, fresh cookie just for you," Sebastian stated, tapping Ichigo's nose and getting a soft giggle and blush, Ichigo turning to hide his face in the other's jacket. Smiling at Ciel, he stood and served the tea, making sure that the blood drop that he had added in was fully dissolved into the light colored tea.

He and his lover had talked about adding some of their blood to the food that Ichigo ate as a way to create a bond that would allow them to find him anywhere. The talk with Shirosaki and his warnings that there would be people who would have no qualms in kidnapping Ichigo had prompted them to do so, but only Sebastian would be doing so. The other side effects of creating the one way bond was that Ciel could feel the bond too, especially since he took in so much Sebastian's blood when they were alone and together. On top of that, Ichigo healed faster, his wrists were already bending properly while his bruises were fading faster and faster.

The tea helped with it on top of that, not that they were surprised. Tanaka had been drinking the stuff for years and already he was more and more often looking like his old self, acting like his old self.

Both of the two demons found the uninhibited flow of emotions over the one way bond fascinating, finding it drawing them in and under Ichigo's unknowing spell. They didn't mind it in the least, already knowing that if they can get away with it, they would help Ichigo do whatever he wanted to do as long as they got to stay with him.

"Let me go get you that cookie, alright?" Sebastian asked, getting another shy smile under an adorable blush from Ichigo once he had given the two their teas.

"Thank you, Sebastian. Just one though. No need to ruin his appetite. Again," Ciel said, warning clear as he smirked at the other man. Sebastian merely smiled and bowed before leaving the two to continue their talk. "This," Ciel hummed, holding up the picture, "is my mother and father. They died when I was 11 years of age due to a fire set by someone that has been long dealt with. I personally disappeared for a month but was found and saved by Sebastian and made my deal with him."

Ichigo reached up and traced the eye patch that Ciel was wearing, eyes wide. "Your seal..." he hummed before looking at the picture. Ciel and Sebastian had explained about the seal and why the younger demon wore the eye patch, but they hadn't gone into many details, stating that they would when his memories progressed further to his proper age.

"Yes. I was never able to mourn them until I knew why they died," Ciel sighed, rubbing his nose into soft hair with a smile. "Sebastian helped me and I was able to mourn them. And now, you're able to mourn and heal the hurt of your mother dying."

"Yes, I can," Ichigo sighed, looking up when Sebastian came back with his cookie on a plate, taking it as Sebastian took the picture, smiling brightly. He bit into the still warm cinnamon flavored cookie, feeling as if the weight of the world wasn't pressing down on his shoulders any more. No one was expecting him to be the big brother, the older son. No one was expecting him to be anything but himself and if that meant crying for his mother, then so be it.

The cookie tasted sweeter in his mouth with that happy thought, even as he smiled at his two caretakers, getting soft smiles in return.


	6. Fencing Plans and Elizabeth Screaming

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 5

Chapter title: Fencing Plans and Elizabeth Screaming

Characters: Sebastian, Ciel, Ichigo, Bardroy, Elizabeth

Word Count: 1,753

AN: Well, another Friday, another update. :3 I enjoyed writing this chapter when I was doing this story. And let me tell ya, I have to thank Affy-chan for all of her help with this story and the designed creations kept within. :D

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After Ichigo had cleaned his face off and drank his tea, he and Ciel sat down with Tanaka watching over them to lunch, Ichigo changing into another simple house dress that fell around his feet. The young man had fallen in love with a style that was still used often in the villages of Ireland and Scotland. They were simple circle necked, long sleeved dresses that hid his wounds and the wraps around them but cut to flatter and create an illusion that Ichigo had curves that he didn't really have.

Sebastian had created them in a variety of blues, greens and ecru for the house dresses, both of them liking the jewel tones on the young man. He had created a couple of dresses for evening wear for Ichigo to wear when he was far enough into his mental growth to be able to pass as a young woman from the country visiting a favored uncle and taken in under the Phantomhive family wing. One was a softer shade of the blood red that Ciel's aunt had once worn while the other was a rich black that shifted to blue and was decorated with a semi dark blue lace.

Ciel had sent for a jeweler to make the head pieces that would go with the dresses, stating that money was not a problem, despite how much Ichigo tried to protest. He had just told Ichigo that he wanted him to look beautiful so that everyone could be jealous that he had the pretty young man on his arm instead of them.

The blush that had spread over the sweet face had been worth it and the look of awe at the pieces that Ichigo was going to be given once they ate would be worth it.

"I think that learning how to fence will do you some good. It will help get you back into shape, help your skills come back in time and give you a new set of skills on top of that," Ciel mused as he very carefully sliced off a bit of buttered bread and ate it, watching as Ichigo eyed the spoons for a moment before choosing the right one, looking to him for confirmation. "Very good. Tanaka, your lessons with him are going perfectly by the looks of it."

"Indeed," Tanaka chuckled, standing straight and tall, looking quite good in his uniform as he smiled. Ichigo smiled and ate a bite of the rich soup, humming softly at the simple taste of the veloute de poulet au thym. Which Ciel had said translated from French to cream of chicken soup with thyme, the flavor appealing to him.

"What do you think, Ichigo? Would you like to learn how to fence?" Ciel asked, Ichigo looking up from where he was gently slicing his bread into small cubes to drop into his soup to dip.

"I think it would be nice to know it," Ichigo hummed, nodding his head and dropping a couple cubes of bread into his soup and letting them sop up some of the thick liquid before using the spoon to eat them. Ciel smiled indulgently at the young man and turned back to his own soup.

"Sebastian, can you fit in fencing with the other lessons?" Ciel asked as he tasted the soup himself, Sebastian coming out with a pitcher of juice.

"Of course," Sebastian said, pouring some of the juice into Ichigo's glass, getting a bright smile that he returned. "I think it would be best to do it just after breakfast, before math, so you have the energy to do it and take a bath before we do the other lessons. I'll make some clothing for you to practice in, including a few dresses much like the ones you enjoy wearing."

"Thank you, Mr. Sebastian," Ichigo chirped. Bardroy stuck his head out of the kitchen before swallowing heavily and coming out with a tray that had the small fruit salads that been asked for to go with lunch.

"Fruit salads," he said, swallowing as he set the bowls down and picking up another bowl from the tray after setting it down on a small table to the side. "And whipped cream," Bardroy said, placing a dollop of the whipped cream onto both bowls. Ichigo bounced a little with some excitement and looked around before dipping his finger into the whipped cream and sucking it off with a happy sound. Ciel, Sebastian and Tanaka ignored the fact that the move was very not lady like but knowing that it made him happy.

But it was poor Bardroy that was the only one physically affected by the fact that Ichigo was sucking on a finger and moaning, mind heading straight for the gutter. He quickly turned on the ball of his foot and moved away, hiding the fact that his nose had started to drip with blood a little and he had turned bright red, only to miraculously trip on air. He cried out as he went flying, landing on the floor with a hard thud and his face landing in the whipped cream.

Ichigo, Tanaka, Ciel and Sebastian all looked up at him as he muttered death threats to all milk based products as he slowly sat up, whipped cream falling from his face. "Are you alright, Mr. Bardroy?" Ichigo asked sweetly.

"Yeah, don't worry 'bout it, kid," Bardroy replied, thankful that the fall had taken his mind off of the finger and how jealous he was of it at that moment. "I'm fine," he said, picking up the bowl and disappearing back into the kitchen to clean up and rethink his sexual orientation.

Sebastian watched him with dark eyes, making a note to have another talk with their cook about what the man was planning on doing around their Ichigo.

"How very odd," Ciel mused, turning to look at Ichigo as he tried to pull his fruit closer. "Soup first. You know the rules, Ichigo."

Ichigo smiled sheepishly and left the bowl alone before returning to his soup. "Yes, Mr. Ciel." He dropped a few more cubes of bread into the soup and pushed them around before eating them. Ciel just smiled once more and shook his head, going back to his lunch. As soon as they were done with lunch, fruit salad included, which had sent Bardroy from the kitchen where he could hear the happy sounds Ichigo was making out into the garden where he found Finnian and Pluto working, they moved into the study.

Ichigo sat down on what he had come to think of as his couch and blinked when Ciel didn't automatically join him, instead moving to his desk and pulling out two boxes, one larger than the other but both larger than a jewelry box. He took the box when the young master of the house handed them to him and finally sat down.

"Open it, Ichigo. They just came in from the jewelers this morning," Ciel said, prompting the young man to smile once more and open the first box. Inside were several small boxes, the top one shaped differently than the others. Opening the first box, his eyes widened at the sight of a beautifully done broach, one that he could tell cost a pretty penny and would go with his black dress alone.

"Mr. Ciel..." he breathed, gently picking it up and drawing his fingers over the teardrop shaped dark blue sapphire that had small, delicate diamonds curled around it, almost cradling it. "It's..."

"It's perfect," Ciel hummed, smiling as Ichigo looked up with wide eyes. "Go on, open the rest of them. They are various ways to wear the stone, mostly chokers that you can attach it to, but it can also be worn as just a simple broach," he explained, watching as Ichigo placed the stone back down and went through the others, all of the chokers in various shades of darker blues with black trimming it in some way or black with darker blues trimming them.

"And the other box?" Ichigo asked as he gently put the box down and picking up the other one, this one thinner.

"Well, it's for your hair for either ball gown," Ciel explained as Ichigo pulled the ribbon off from around the box.

Sebastian walked in with their after lunch drinks, a single glass of a good whiskey for Ciel and some sweet juice for Ichigo, an eyebrow raising at the hair net that Ichigo had pulled out. It was simply designed with twists of black ribbon that would hold his fiery colored hair and contrast to make it seem even more like liquid fire. Small jewels hung from it, glowing softly and adding to the beauty of it.

"Ahh, perfect. And they remembered that I would like for the stones to be removable," Ciel hummed, smiling softly as Ichigo stared at it in some awe.

"Mr. Ciel...It's beautiful," Ichigo breathed as he laid it back into its box and then jumping onto the slightly startled Lord with a happy sound. Ciel chuckled and patted his back just as the doors opened and Elizabeth walked into the library to take in the sight of Ichigo nearly laying on him as Ciel smiled and held him close.

"What in the world is going on here? Who is this...this...this hussy!?" she screeched. Ichigo jerked at the loud sound and turned to her, eyes wide and frightened as he whimpered, tears flooding his eyes. He didn't like it when other's yelled and this new person with golden blond hair held back by a beautiful hair net had just screamed at him.

"Mr. Ciel..." he whimpered, Ciel moving to soothe him, drawing him into his arms.

"Shh, it's okay. Elizabeth won't be yelling again, I promise," Ciel soothed, sending a dark glare to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, please do not scream. This is Ichigo, the one I told you that I needed help with. He needs to learn a few things that only a woman would know and I know you can keep a secret."

"Oh," Elizabeth breathed, taking in the sweet looking young man who was trying to hide in Ciel's arms. "Yes, of course, I can help. Do forgive me for yelling." Watery brown eyes looked up at her before Ichigo nodded his head. She cooed softly and moved to sit next to her, petting his head with one hand. "I really am sorry for yelling. Oh, aren't you so cute?"

Ichigo blushed as Ciel and Sebastian smirked.


	7. Lessons and Fans

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 6

Chapter title: Lessons and Fans

Characters: Elizabeth, Ichigo, Agni, Soma, Ciel, Sebastian

Word Count:

AN: So we come to new lessons for our dear Ichigo. He's so adorable he rots teeth.

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"Now, you want to be very careful not to jab yourself otherwise it can be very painful for you to do this work," Elizabeth said. Ichigo nodded as he pulled his embroidery stand closer, carefully creating an ivy line on a piece of cloth, the dark green stark against the cream. He had already created several leafs on other pieces, some lettering on a few and was working on larger curves and lines. So far, to him, it was like coming home.

His memory rebuilding had progressed in the last week and a half since he had remembered his mother's death and met Elizabeth, along with some hidden memories of his mother teaching him how to sew, crochet, embroider and quilt. She had told him that it was always good to know how to take care of oneself without needing to run to a tailor or a friend. The memories and knowledge had stuck with him throughout his life and was coming back to him under Elizabeth's tutorial in using the stand instead of just a free handheld hoop.

"I...missed doing this," Ichigo hummed softly as he shifted to get some better sunlight. They were on the sun porch, an umbrella providing shade seeing as Ichigo had a very bad habit of wearing himself out in the sun and tended to burn his skin. He was still rather pale from being inside for so long but the time that he spent on the sun porch or running about with Pluto was helping to give him a healthier glow.

"Oh? You know how to embroider?" Elizabeth asked, reaching out and picking up her tea cup, finishing the last of it off and pouring some fresh tea.

"And sew, crochet and quilt. My mother taught me and...afterwards, I just kept learning and growing on how to do it. It was something that was between me and my mother. And later, me and my sister, Yuzu," Ichigo hummed as he slid the needle through the fabric, pulling the thread down and making sure that it laid properly.

"Sebastian and Ciel tell me that you hardly talk about your family," Elizabeth said slowly, not wanting to send Ichigo into another fit of tears and pain. The last time it had happened Ichigo had ended up being bundled into bed with Ciel reading him a Shakespearean comedy as the young man dozed off the headache.

"It kind of hurts to talk about them," Ichigo replied, shrugging one shoulder slightly, delicate and ladylike in his movements. Elizabeth had taken to helping him with the way he walked and moved, which showed, Ichigo picking things up rather quickly. The fencing lessons that Ichigo had with Sebastian helped with his grace as the grace lessons helped with his fencing. "I don't know if I remember what happened to them, Shirosaki not wanting to make me worry too much. He says that they are safe but not anything else."

Elizabeth shuddered delicately, shaking her head as she remembered the white being that had been a mirror image of Ichigo but colder. "He is a creepy being," she stated, shaking her head and turning back to her own embroidery work.

"No, he's not. Not really. He's just made of the instincts that we, as humans tend to try to suppress. He's very overprotective. Sometimes, I think he surpasses Mr. Ciel or Mr. Sebastian," Ichigo said softly, shaking his head with a sweet smile. "He's very nice to me."

"To you maybe," Elizabeth hummed, shaking her head, blond curls bouncing as she returned to her embroidery. "To the rest of us...well, he obviously respects Ciel and Sebastian but he tends to be very cold to me."

"I think it's the fact that you remind him of what is known as a fan girl," Ichigo mused, feeling Shirosaki shudder and complain somewhere deep in his mind.

"Fan girl?" Elizabeth queried, looking to the other with a curious look in her eyes. Ichigo looked up from his ivy line and turned to her with a smile on his lips.

"They are girls or women who are very knowledgeable about something and can be conceived as obsessive to some people," Ichigo chuckled. "They tend to squeal and pounce upon those who are a part of whatever they are loving at the moment. Shirosaki tells me that I know a few fan girls that I'll remember when I get those memories back."

Elizabeth paused in her movements as she thought over what she had just been told and was glad that Ichigo had turned back to his own piece of embroidery fabric so she could flush without him asking why she was doing so. She could often remember squealing and pouncing upon an often surprised and unhappy Ciel before being told not to do so. "I see," she breathed, waving her fan over her face to hopefully cool it off. "Well, I will try to act a bit calmer around him when he comes around then," she promised.

"That would be welcomed," Ichigo replied, looking to her once more as she placed her fan aside again. "Where did you get that fan?" he asked, looking at it.

Elizabeth blushed for a whole other reason as she stroked the delicate wooden fan. When spread out to show the designs, there was a delicate bushel of flowers on one side and a delicately drawn sparrow with on a tree on the other. "Actually, my husband, Soma, bought it for me for our first year anniversary," she said.

"Oh," Ichigo hummed, pouting softly. He had been told he needed to choose a fan but he didn't like the cloth fan's that had been shown to him. They held scents that were much too strong for him but the wooden fan that Elizabeth used smelled soft and sweet, something that reminded him of his father. "I need to find a fan but none of them look right...or smell right either," he admitted.

Elizabeth smiled softly and reached out to gently pat his arm. "I'll ask Soma where he bought it and maybe he will be willing to help."

"Ask me what, my beautiful bride?" Soma asked, beaming brightly as he walked out onto the sun porch, Agni and Sebastian following after. Soma bent down and kissed Elizabeth, allowing their third to taste their sweet wife as Ichigo looked away with a shy blush, still not used to the fact that while Elizabeth was married to Soma, she was also with Agni. He had discovered this quite accidentally when she had greeted the two men quite enthusiastically one day.

"Hello, Mr. Soma. Hello, Mr. Agni," Ichigo greeted, looking up through his lashes at the two men. Agni smiled softly and sat on another chair next to him, taking in the various panels of his work.

"Your lessons are coming along quite well," he said, studying them with an appreciative eye. "I would not think such a cream color would look so good with such a mix of greens to create a beautiful leaf," Agni praised, getting a bright, happy smile from Ichigo.

"Thank you, Mr. Agni. I was playing with colors for that one," Ichigo admitted, finishing off his current string and tying it off before starting a fresh string. "I've been finding it easier to move my wrists since Elizabeth agreed to help me relearn this skill."

"It is very beautiful indeed, young Ichigo," Soma praised, voice bright and strong, drawing Ichigo's eyes. "And you have not answered my question. What did you wish to ask me?"

"Oh, yes, Soma, where did you buy me my wooden fans? Ichigo needs to buy a couple for when he starts going to the balls but the cloth fans are not very good for him since he does tend to have a sensitive sense of smell," Elizabeth stated, Ichigo blushing as he continued to create the twisting ivy line.

"Ah. I see," Soma hummed, rubbing at his chin in thought, eyes narrowed just a bit. "I had it brought overseas from Japan actually. Though I believe the original maker's son now lives here and runs a shop, using the same techniques that his father uses," he said after a moment. "I shall find the shop and send a note to Ciel with that information. Will that be okay?"

"Whatever you can do, Mr. Soma. Please don't put yourself out for me," Ichigo said, blushing softly at the boisterous laugh of the man.

"Oh, I will not be putting myself out, my dear Ichigo. You are truly a fresh breath of air. I shall find out and send that information to you soon. For now, I have come to collect my dear wife to take home for an early lunch so she can rest before tonight's ball."

"I believe that Mr. Ciel is going to the same ball tonight," Ichigo said, looking up from his work with a smile on his lips.

"Indeed he is, Ichigo," Sebastian hummed, getting a small smile from him as he continued with his work. "That means that we are not going to be here for most of the night," he warned.

"I know," Ichigo replied, turning to him with a soft smile. "I should be fine. Mr. Bardroy and Mr. Tanaka will both be here to make sure that the house stays secure and if I really need them, Finny and Mey-Rin will be here too," he said.

"Indeed. Mrs. Elizabeth, Soma, Agni, allow me to show you out," Sebastian said as Elizabeth gathered her things along with Agni.

"Thank you, Sebastian," Soma said, the four leaving Ichigo to continue his work, Pluto bounding up the stairs and laying down at his feet.

"Such interesting people," Ichigo hummed, Pluto groaning lightly next to him.

"That they are," Pluto huffed softly, drawing Ichigo's eyes, getting a chuckle from the young man.

"I do not think I will ever get used to a dog speaking, even when you are in your human form," Ichigo stated, getting a doggy smile. "So odd, my life is."


	8. Sweet Child, Ichigo

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 7

Chapter title: Sweet Child, Ichigo

Characters: Grell, Sebastian, William, Ciel, Ichigo, Pluto

Word Count: 2,052

AN: I am a mean, mean bitch. *cackles* I love tormenting characters.

* * *

He was out in the garden with Finnian, learning about the various flowers that were slowly coming into bloom, waiting for the surprise guests to arrive. Ichigo was humming softly as he was helping to turn over the soil very gently, adding fresh soil to the soil that had been turned. Finnian was smiling happily at having someone besides Pluto for company, chatting away a mile a minute before his companion paused and sat back on his feet.

"I think that was the bell," Ichigo chirped brightly, smiling happily as he tugged off the gardening gloves that he had been wearing to work the soil.

"It was. Looks like the guests are here," Finnian hummed, watching as Ichigo stood and shoved the gloves into the pocket of the apron that he had worn to protect his rather pretty emerald colored dress from the dirt. "Thank you for spending some time with me," he said, getting another happy smile from Ichigo.

"It was fun. Thank you for teaching me," he said before running for the garden shed to put up his apron and gloves. Ichigo headed for the back door of the mansion, taking a moment to slowly drink down the iced tea that Bardroy had handed him before leaving the kitchen with a bounce in his step.

The scene that he walked in on made his protective streak rise up, even as his nearly seven year old mind screamed in anger, Zangestu materialized in one delicate hand. Sebastian was turned away from two people that felt of death and power, pouring fresh tea into three cups while a red headed man moved to jump him. The sharp teeth and gleam in the green eyes just added to Ichigo's need to protect him.

He was moving before he realized it, bringing the large zanpakuto around and forcing Grell to move back. Ichigo's face was set and serious, eyes glowing as he alternated between slashing left and right, and up and down. Grell's eyes widened as he dodged and moved out of the way.

"Sebastian, what the hell is this woman doing!?" Grell shouted as he yelped, Zangestu slicing off his tie with an easy movement. Slamming against the wall, he screeched and slammed his eyes shut as Ichigo snarled and started to thrust his weapon at the man only to stop. Opening his eyes, he found Sebastian holding Ichigo tight against his body, hand holding Ichigo's wrist in a gentle but unyielding hold.

"Shh, Ichigo, it's alright. He's not one of the brother's, I promise," Sebastian breathed into one ear, feeling Ichigo tremble. He continued to talk the young male out of the supremely protective state that Ichigo was in, feeling the conflicting emotions spread down over the bond. Running footsteps alerted him to Ciel coming into the sitting room.

"Why did she attack Grell?" William snarled at Ciel, eyes flashing as he held his Death Scythe, a pair of long handled garden shears really, out before him.

"I would think that he triggered a deep seated protective urge in him. And probably much too soon to be good," Ciel stated as he watched Sebastian hold Ichigo up as his body went limp and Zangestu disappeared from his hand. "I would like you to meet the young Ichigo, the one that I told you that you would need to do some paperwork on...and make it drag out for as long as possible."

"I...see," William said, surprise coloring his voice as he watched the zanpakuto disappear, hiding his own weapon away with a swallow.

"I'm tired, Mr. Sebastian." The soft voice from the now soft looking young man drew their eyes to him as he leant against Sebastian, eyes evidently heavy as he tried to blink and keep his eyes open.

"If you will excuse me, I must put our dear Ichigo into bed for a nap," Sebastian said, leaning down and sweeping Ichigo into his arms. The younger male was apparently so tired that he didn't protest being picked up and carried out of the room and up the stairs.

Ciel turned to the weak kneed Grell as the Grim Reaper slowly slid down the wall with a whine. "I would suggest you follow the following rules while around Ichigo. No yelling, he's still sensitive to any yelling. I suggest you keep your mitts off of my lover too, only Ichigo is allowed to cling, cuddle or lay on him in any form right now. You are not Ichigo, therefore, stay off of him," he purred, his possessiveness of his mate showing through. "Do not try to attack or bad mouth Ichigo either. No one in this household will allow you to get away with trying to hurt him in any way so I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

"Yes, Ciel," Grell pouted, cringing at the fact that the normally glowing blue eye had turned into a deep red color that swirled and easily scared him into complying.

"Really, Grell, you should know better than to try to pounce upon Sebastian. You should be lucky that Pluto is outside and knows better that to damage the window," William stated, eyeing the large demon dog that was glaring at the red headed Grim Reaper. Ciel smirked and opened the window, allowing Pluto into the room.

The large dog sent a threatening growl towards Grell, making him whimper and tried to hide any delicate parts from the demon dog, not wanting to lose any bits. Pluto snorted, pleased with himself, before heading up the stairs and his customary spot on Ichigo's bed at his feet. Sebastian came back down, passing the large dog, and raised an eyebrow at the cowering Grell.

"Did Pluto growl at you?" he asked, going back to serving the tea as the two Grim Reapers slowly found their seats, Ciel sitting down in his own chair and taking his cup when it was handed to him.

"Indeed he did," Ciel drawled as he sipped his tea, eye gazing at his mate as the other served their guest. "Now, as for Ichigo, as you can see, he's far from normal. When he came to us, his mind had been shattered by his time in captivity and had been brought to us by someone we do respect, in a way. His name is Ichigo Kurosaki and he is a Shinigami from a sister world. Substitute that is," he stated, William's eyes going wide as he thought of the paperwork to come.

"He was born as a living human with powers but from what Shirosaki has told us, when he gained his powers back he became a half living human, half dead shinigami. However you wish to look at it," Sebastian stated, smiling as he came to stand behind Ciel. "Either way, his mind was shattered, broken down to the last truly happy time, which was when he was just about to turn 6. He's better, mentally almost 7 years of age, and Zangetsu and Shirosaki helping to put the memories and skills back together. We think it will take something between another 6 to 10 months for him to be fully healed once more."

"And that is why you want me to drag out the paperwork for him to be here, correct?" William asked, Grell looking at him with wide eyes.

"But, what if he attacks me again?!" Grell yelped, flailing about before grabbing the tea cup that tried to fall to the floor at the dark look from Ciel.

"He won't. As I said, you triggered a protective streak in him and now he's tired from pulling Zangetsu while he's still in his body," Ciel stated. "Now, Shirosaki is likely to jump you. In what way is up for debate considering his...tastes," he hummed.

"Who is Shirosaki? I can figure that Zangetsu is Ichigo's zanpakuto, but not who Shirosaki is in regards to your young charge," William said, Sebastian and Ciel smiling nearly identically.

"Shirosaki is Ichigo's hollow. He is a Vizard too," Sebastian stated, pointing to one large mirror where Shirosaki waved from it with a large grin. "Grell, William, I would like you to meet Shirosaki, Ichigo's inner hollow and fiercest protector."

Grell screeched and jumped behind the couch that they were sitting on, looking over with his small scissors in hand, green eyes trying to keep an eye on the hollow that had burst into laughter. William jumped up from the couch and joined Grell behind it, not pulling his weapon though even as Shirosaki snickered and disappeared.

"He tends to pop in every so often to tell us how Ichigo is doing," Ciel purred.

Grell sighed out a breath of relief as the albino version of Ichigo disappeared only to screech as something picked up a lock of his hair and gently played with it. "What the flying hell!?" he screeched and flew over the couch once more as he turned. He found a nearly crying Ichigo standing there, brown eyes wide and filling with tears.

"Grell, what did we just tell you not to do?" Ciel snarled, eyes snapping as he stood up and moved to gather Ichigo into his arms. William blinked as the still child like Ichigo clung to Ciel with a whimper, taking note that the young man wore what looked like one of Sebastian's shirts and what looked to be a large robe that hid Ichigo's legs.

"Are you...are you sleeping with the child?" William hissed as he glared at Sebastian, getting a look that told him that Sebastian was going to happily gut him through his nostrils.

"I am not. It is one of the few ways that Ichigo can rest in his room when either me nor Ciel are in our bedroom," Sebastian snarled back as Ciel drew Ichigo over the loveseat and sitting down, letting the still sniffling young man to curl up in his lap. The demonic butler sniffed and moved to gather a blanket that they kept hidden for whenever Ichigo napped in the sitting room or the study, wrapping up the young man.

"Pluto, how about you show Grell the punishment for upsetting Ichigo?" Ciel asked the large dog when he came through the door. The doggy like smirk that spread over the canine's mouth made Grell go stiff.

"Run, reaper, run," Pluto growled, making Grell swallow the screech of horror and run for his life, Pluto nipping after him, always letting the Grim reaper get away with just a small nip close enough to his ass to make him run faster around the grounds.

"Ah, I see. I am sorry for that assumption," William sighed, nodding to Sebastian as he nodded in return, Ichigo starting to doze once more in Ciel's arms.

"That is fine. So will you make sure that the paperwork is dragged out? At least any paperwork that will go to the Seireitei telling them about him," Sebastian stated, smoothing a hand over the braided hair, getting a sleep murmur. "We do need the emergency sanctuary pass on top of that," he continued. "And an extended pass, possibly a statement that he can live here as long as he wishes."

"Easily done. I shall fill out the paperwork for you and bring it for the three of you to sign. Just give me his information and it shall be done in a week," William stated, fixing his glasses and making them gleam. Ichigo opened his eyes at that moment and hummed softly.

"Uryuu..." he breathed before going back to sleep.

"It seems that he will be remembering things sooner than thought," Ciel chuckled with a smile, shaking his head. "Oh, one more thing. A punishment will be needed for Grell. Ichigo will need someone from your office to act as a go between him and your bosses, so who better for that job than Grell."

William smirked, eyes gleaming to gaze out at the window at the still running and yelling Grell, crossing his legs. "I could do that. The paperwork will be handed over to him to fill out and I will send him with it and a list of what he will be doing during his time as a liaison," he stated, sharing smiles with the other two as they settled into to plan on how things would work out.


	9. Picnics and Fishes

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 8

Chapter title: Picnics and Fishes

Characters: Ciel, Sebastian, Ichigo

Word Count: 1,769

AN: This chapter is just some fluff between our fav three. :D I hope you guys enjoy, really.

* * *

Ichigo was staring at the large mare that Sebastian was saddling, his eyes wide as he tilted his head to the side. "I know I have learned how to ride, but...she's very big," he finally said, turning to Ciel who just smiled and tugged on his riding gloves.

"She is quite gentle and would work best for you, Ichigo. You have been here for nearly two months now and it'll do you some good to get out on a nice ride," Ciel said, smiling as Ichigo took a deep breath and moved to the other side of the mare. He stepped up onto the stool and settled into the saddle, arranging his skirts with a frown before shaking his head with a smile.

"She is still really big and far up from the ground," Ichigo hummed, taking the reins and remembering the lessons that Elizabeth had given him in the last couple of weeks, finding himself comfortable in a saddle. "Will she be my riding horse for now on?" he asked curiously, fixing his own gloves, not letting go of the reins.

"Yes. Actually we thought that she would be best since she's so even tempered and rarely spooks," Ciel stated as he mounted his own horse, taking the reins and waiting for Sebastian to get onto his own mount. "We have a surprise for you today, as long as Pluto behaved while we were gathering you," he said, eying the simple riding dress that Ichigo had decided to wear.

It was a simple dark red dress, the corseting built into the dress so Ichigo didn't have to worry about an actual corset rubbing or hindering his movements on the horse. The trim was a softer red and looked good with the black hat that had dark red gauze that protected his neck from the sun. All around the young man looked good on the back of a horse, beautiful even once he got used to being on such a large mare.

"Come along, I shall lead shall I?" Ciel asked, getting a smile and a nod from Ichigo as Sebastian followed after. In the last week or so, they had to get used to having Grell around, who had gone from pouting and complaining heavily about having to be a glorified personal butler for Ichigo to a doting 'lady-in-waiting' as he called himself. It made Ichigo stare at him sometimes before telling him his shoes needed to be shined again, keeping the Grim Reaper busy while he went about his lessons for the day.

They fell into a gentle pace as they all enjoyed the sights around them, Ichigo making soft sounds of delight at the greenness of the land and the flowers that were carefully tended even as they headed for a miniature forest that Finnian had created for the two lover's when they wanted time out in nature but didn't want to deal with the actual nature. Surrounded by the trees was a small meadow like area that was, for the most part, wild, allowing the two to enjoy their time together.

But now they were going to show the area to the awed looking Ichigo who hadn't seen much beyond the main part of the garden.

"Ahh, here we go," Ciel hummed as they arrived at the woods, leading the way through the trees, Ichigo falling into place next to him, at complete ease.

Ichigo's eyes glazed over for a moment before a soft smile spread over his lips. "I remember my seventh year fully and a good chunk of my eighth year of life. It seems that some of my memories have been healing on their own but not coming out until Zan and Shiro are to them," he mused, shaking his head and holding onto the saddle at the slight wave of dizziness. Ciel reached out to cup his elbow, making sure that he didn't fall over.

"That is a good thing then," Sebastian said as he rode up next to Ichigo with a soft look on his face. It seemed that Ichigo had grown up fast after his mother's death but even with that tragedy in his life, he still held an innocence that still drew Sebastian and Ciel to him. "It means that you will be able to have more time to heal before you must worry about what you are going to do in the near future," he continued, Ichigo nodding.

"Oh, it's so pretty," Ichigo gasped when he turned to the meadow that they came to. Pluto was sitting in the middle of it, tail waving slowly as he panted, a large picnic basket sitting on an even larger blanket under the shade of one tree. "Are...are we going to eat lunch here?" he asked, all hopeful eyes and bright smiles.

Ciel chuckled and nodded his head. "We are. The horses are trained to stay close while amongst the tree's so we take off their saddles and allow them to wander," he said, walking his horse over to a small stream that trickled through down to a new addition.

A pond filled with colorful fish that could swim away if they wanted, other colorful fish coming down through the stream. A bamboo rocking fountain sat near one side of the pond, creating a pleasant tapping noise as a small bridge sat over the entry point of the stream.

"I was able to add to this place for you. This is now your sanctuary just as it is for me and Ciel," Sebastian said, sliding off of his horse and helping Ichigo down as Ciel followed them. Ichigo sighed happily and sat on a smooth stone boulder, working on removing his shoes, intent on enjoying the grass under his feet. He was just glad that he could pull off the chosen socks for the day, wearing separate leg coverings with them.

Standing up, he lifted his skirts slightly and wiggled his toes in the soft grass, giggling happily at the feeling. Looking up, he moved over the Japanese influenced stream and perched on the small bridge, skirts pulled up so he didn't get them wet and feet dipping into the cool waters, making him sigh. Ciel and Sebastian smiled as they set the horses to rights as their young charge occasionally laughed at the tickling feeling of the fish coming up to investigate his feet, their colors shimmering.

"They look a lot like the Koi fish of Japan," Ichigo hummed to Ciel as the man walked up and bent over to stare at the fish.

"Sebastian said that they are a gentle, peaceful demon fish that keeps the water's free of pollution. I allow them to have a safe place to live on my land and they make sure that the waters are fresh and pure," he told Ichigo, getting a bright smile.

"You're very nice. I've only heard that demons are out for themselves and tend to be mean and manipulative," Ichigo said, Ciel chuckling and shaking his head.

"We can be but there are just some people that make us want to protect them, and you are one of those for me and Sebastian," the younger demon admitted, plucking Ichigo's hat off of his head and offering his hand. "Come. Let's eat lunch and then we can play a little."

"Yes, alright," Ichigo said, taking the hand that was offered to him and helped up to his feet. The two walked over to where the picnic basket had been unpacked by Sebastian, the older demon having pulled off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves to his shirt. Ichigo pulled off his own lightweight riding jacket with the help of Ciel, letting the man put it aside. Ciel tugged his own jacket off as they all sat down, Ichigo looking over the offerings.

"All of this was done by Bardroy and he does ask that you tell him truthfully if you like it or not," Sebastian stated, pulling out three plates and serving Ichigo first. Everything was simple finger foods that would be light on the stomach but delightful for a lunch. Slices of chicken wrapped with bread and dipped into an easily heated gravy, fresh fruit chunks with dip options of fresh whipped cream or caramel, sweet rolls, a fresh cucumber salad that Sebastian said came from a German recipe that he found many years ago and an apple and blueberry tart. Dessert was, surprisingly enough, a strawberry mousse that had Ichigo wanting to have some right that moment.

"Oh this is delicious," Ichigo moaned as he tasted the salad first, a burst of something lightly salty and sweet all in once along with the coolness of the cucumber, his eyes falling shut as he delighted in the taste. Sebastian shifted slightly as his body reacted to the sweetly innocent moan that had come from him, squashing the instinctive desire to reach out and pull him close to show him what he really should moan about.

Ciel sent him a look that told him to be patient. They already had plans on how to claim Ichigo as their own but those plans hinged on him mentally growing into his proper age, or at the least age 17. Whatever came first and depending on their patience lasting. For now though they would continue to come together whenever possible to quench the thirst that rose in them.

"Try the fruit. I think he mixed it with boiled and thinned honey," Ciel said, pointing to the glistening mixed fruit on Ichigo's plate. This time it was his turn to squash the need for Ichigo, forcing himself to turn to his own plate and tucking away fantasies of feeding the sweet man fruit that was dipped into various toppings.

They continued to work their way through lunch, talking and discussing what Ichigo was going to learn in his coming lessons and what balls Ciel and Sebastian were being forced to attend, having put off holding any balls of their own for the time being, stating construction work being done to the house. After lunch had been eaten, including the cold tea that had been packed for them, Ichigo went back to the pond and knelt down to watch the fish, the two demons joining him and showing him how to pet the demonic fishes, getting a soothing song of pleasure from them, much to the young males delight.

The afternoon was spent in lazy contentment, the bond that had been started with the drops of blood in tea solidifying and growing as they got to know each other more and more.


	10. Teasing Without Meaning

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 9

Chapter title: Teasing Without Meaning

Characters: Grell, Ichigo, Ciel, Sebastian, Bardroy, Tanaka, Finnian

Word Count: 1,961

AN: Why yes, I like torturing any character that I happen to write. Why do you ask?

Outside of that, we get to see fluff! And not with our main pairing this time though.

* * *

Dinner that night turned out to be an interesting affair for the two demons and most of the household. Finnian had left to eat in the kitchen as Bardroy prepared dessert, Mey-Rin was in her room with a sprained ankle, having tripped over a displaced rug when Grell had cleaned Ichigo's room top to bottom. Grell himself was sitting in a corner, book in hand as he tried to ignore the two that sat at the table along with the other two butlers.

Dinner had started out innocently enough with a simple first dish of a light salad that Ichigo had suggested they tried, something he had remembered his father buying once. Lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, cheese that had been shredded, somehow, mixed and then topped with a simple honey based dressing that helped to offset the bite to the cheese.

The main dish had consisted of a perfectly cooked fresh quail, a new taste for Ichigo, snap peas that had made Ichigo moan lowly happily at the sweetness of it, not noticing how Grell had twitched and scowled at his book when he had. Warm rolls with sweet cream butter and mashed potatoes that had been baked in the over had also been offered right alongside small bowls of brothy quail soup, the meat that had been used to make it being saved for the next day and breakfast.

The entire dinner had Ichigo making small noises of happiness, Sebastian's, Ciel's and Grell's patience and willpower being tested with each sound that escaped from him. The two demons reminded themselves that when the right time came, they could woo him right into their bed and that they wouldn't be letting him leave for a week afterwards while the sharp toothed Grim Reaper reminded himself that Tanaka was one scary old man.

And that there was something off about the man, something that he couldn't quite figure out. Then again, the tortures that Tanaka had described in a good amount of detail had been enough to put him off even thinking of Ichigo as anything sexual while his mindset was that of a young child. The threat of William finding out had been the cherry on top of the whipped cream fruit tart.

So for the moment, he was happy to read his book and contemplate just what Tanaka was because that man was not human. Looking up, Grell eyed the happily smiling old man as he sipped tea and sat at a low table, his own dinner plate set to the side and empty of his food. "Not human at all," he muttered to himself, drawing Ichigo's eyes. He waved off the curious look as Bardroy set up what looked to be a small, thick candle under a metal holder and placed a pot of white chocolate over the candle.

Once the candle was lit, he disappeared into the kitchen to fetch the platter of fruit and sweet breads that he had planned for dessert. "Do you know how to dip your fruit and breads into the chocolate?" Bardroy asked as he gave Ichigo a long fork like thing as Sebastian gently stirred the chocolate to make sure that it was ready and stayed that way.

"I place it here and then dip it into the chocolate, rolling it instead of dredging it so that it is evenly covered but I don't lose it to the chocolate," Ichigo quoted, remembering what the man had told him when he had found Bardroy chopping up a white chocolate block.

"Exactly. If you need help, I am sure that Sebastian will be willing to help you with it," Bardroy said, smiling hugely before moving back to the kitchen, wondering why he did such things to himself. Sighing, he sat down next to Finnian and took the fork with a piece of melon, dipping it into their own pot of white chocolate. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Finnian breathed, blushing as he picked up a piece of sweet bread and carefully dipped it.

Back in the main dining room, Ichigo was very carefully spearing a large strawberry that had the top removed, Sebastian watching him closely to make sure that he didn't stab himself accidentally. Smiling brightly, he leant forward slightly and carefully rolled the strawberry in the white chocolate and brought it back, holding a small plate under it as it cooled enough to eat. Sliding the strawberry off of the fork, he sliced it in half and speared it with a smaller fork and ate half of it.

The sound of pleasure was pure sin and made the three men go stiff in more than one way. Sebastian cleared his throat as Ciel took a few moments to beat back the lust that had reared its head up fast and hard. Grell choked on his air before standing up and excusing himself, stating that he needed to contact William for his daily report, nearly running out of the dining room. Tanaka just hid his smirk behind his tea, knowing that his two masters, despite the fact that Sebastian was, for all intents and purposes, a butler himself, would take good care of Ichigo when he became mentally old enough for them.

Ichigo missed it all, intent on the strawberry and slowly eating it to enjoy it as much as possible before dipping some melon and then a grape, using a spoon to pour some of the white chocolate over the fat piece of fruit. Occasionally he used a finger to catch a dribble of the melted chocolate, sucking on the finger with pleasure, sending even more heat through the two demons.

Ciel finally was able to gather himself enough to continue with his own dessert, Finnian and Bardroy peeking out of the kitchen to see what all the moaning was about, sending the gardener back to his gardening and the cook to a spot outside to start smoking like a chimney.

Sitting down in the chair, cigarette hanging from his mouth, Bardroy started to think hard and long about his tastes in sexual and romantic partners. They tended to be sweet looking, if not out and out androgynous with their looks, much like Ichigo was, or Finnian was. Pausing at the thought of Finnian being androgynous, much less pretty, Bardroy turned to look at the young man that was finishing his planting of a new peach tree that was for Ichigo.

Taking in the soft blond hair that was always held back with bobby pins, down to the innocent face and wide green eyes that had seen too much for someone so young, along the lean body that held untold amounts of strength, Bardroy went completely still at the feeling of lust wiggling its way through his body.

"Shit," he cursed, dropping his cigarette to the ground and smashing it with one foot before lighting another. Somehow, he knew that his change of thoughts had started long before Ichigo had been dropped into their lives but somehow it had been that same male that had made him face the fact that they were changing. "Shit," he muttered again. "I'm an idiot."

Snorting, he continued to watch as the younger male finished planting the new tree before stopping and wiping his forehead with the back of his arm. Finnian looked up and at him, catching him watching with a thoughtful look on his face. The smile that spread over that sweet, innocent face was filled with something that was a mix of love and adoration, and it slammed another new thought into his mind, making him drop his cigarette onto his lap. He didn't even notice that the cherry was burning through his pants until a hot stinging sensation so close to his precious jewels sent him into the air, yelping and batting at his lap.

Finnian rand up to him, eyes and face worried as the man checked to make sure that nothing was hurt. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking much like a worried, sad puppy right at that moment.

"Yeah, yeah. Just...lost in thought," Bardroy said, swallowing heavily as he really took in the younger man. "Ah...fuck it," he muttered, reaching out and pulling a squeaking, surprised Finnian forward and into his arms, slanting his mouth down over a willing mouth that welcomed his tasting tongue, a slick, shy muscle coming to play. The kiss was sweet, shy, just like his little gardener and sent heat roaring through him like flames licking at a new piece of wood. Moaning, he slowly pulled away from ravishing the younger man's mouth.

Bardroy smirked at the dazed, happy expression on Finnian's face. Green eyes were darkened to almost black as pink lips had flushed to a rich red, swelling from the kiss as a flush settled over cream colored cheeks and blond hair was mussed from his fingers. "Oh, my," Finnian breathed, knowing that if the bigger man wasn't holding him up, he would have sunk to the floor in a limp pile of contentment.

"Yeah," Bardroy chuckled roughly, wanting to do nothing more than to hitch his little partner up, press him against a wall and make him beg to be taken. Often. Every few minutes if he could have his way really. But he knew oh so painfully well that Finnian had never slept with another, woman or man, never wanting to leave the garden unless it was time to eat or sleep, or go with their master on a mission, which was rare to happen. "You okay there? Not too much too fast yeah?"

"No, not too much," Finnian replied, blushing and looking down as he played with Bardroy's chef shirt. "What...what does this mean?" he asked shyly.

"It means that you're mine," Bardroy stated, voice smug as he held the other tight, barely wincing at the rather, shockingly so, squeal of happiness from Finnian. A happy giggle with softer chuckles from the back door drew the two new partners away from their enjoyment of each other, finding Ichigo standing there clapping his hands in happiness while Sebastian and Ciel smirked at them.

"Congratulations, you two," Ichigo chirped, bouncing over and hugging Finnian, stealing him from Bardroy's arms, much to the man's amusement.

Sebastian walked over to him and leant in close, making sure that the two younger males couldn't hear them, and asked, "Do you know how to take your little mate?" The shade of red that Bardroy turned would have rivaled some of the red dresses that Elizabeth often wore.

"What do ya mean by that?" he growled, narrowing his eyes at the smug looking demon.

"You need to know how to take him without hurting him. It's nothing like sleeping with a woman after all, and he's so tiny..." Sebastian trailed off, cocking an eyebrow as Bardroy looked to the two males who were smiling and talking as Ciel watched with an indulgent eye.

"Can you...uh...tell me how to do it? I don't want to hurt 'em," Bardroy said after a few moments of swallowing his pride.

"Indeed I shall," Sebastian promised, smiling brightly. "But not tonight. I came out to see if you could make some caramel and chocolate for mine and Ciel's use in our room..."

"Yeah, sure, no details, man. No details." Bardroy smiled as Finnian bounced back over to him, the other three leaving them alone as the large American swept his smaller partner into a tight hug. "Happy?"

"Insanely," Finnian sighed, tilting his head up with a shy look. "Though, do you think I could get another kiss?" he asked, Bardroy leering down at him.

"Baby, when you want a kiss, all you gotta do is come ta me," Bardroy chuckled, leaning down and sealing their lips in another kiss that left them breathless.


	11. First Day Out

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 12

Chapter title: First Day Out

Characters: Ichigo, Grell, Sebastian, Ciel, Soma, Agni, Elizabeth, Tanaka,

Word Count: 1,945

AN: Sorry about being a couple days late with this update. I ended up out all day Monday and yesterday I was far from able to move properly so I post this today.

** people: All sexual chapters aren't posted upon this site. If you wish to read the sexual chapters, AO3 and AdultFanfiction are the two sites that you want for the full stories including smut. Remember, to be on Adultfanfiction you _MUST_ be 18 years of age or older.**

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Eating the simple breakfast of fresh eggs, fruit, lightly toasted bread and ham, Ichigo gazed at Grell, who was once more looking as if he was falling asleep into his coffee, before turning to Ciel who had already downed two cups of the strong drink. He had noticed that the two had seemed a little more tired when they had to deal with early, early mornings, but had no ideas as to why. Both William, when he stayed for breakfast, and Sebastian though both seemed quite smug about something. When he had asked Tanaka about it, the older Japanese man had told him that their special friends were keeping them up and when he aged mentally up into his teen years, his current age just on the edge of eight, he would explain if he wanted him to.

"Why did we have to wake up so early?" Ichigo asked finally, putting his fruit bowl down onto his empty plate, always saving it for last.

"We need to take you into town today for your fans. Unfortunately, we can't order them since they must be specially created and designed in person. We think you can pull off shy Japanese girl well enough right now so you should be safe," Ciel stated, wiping his mouth, wide brown eyes turning to him. "That is why Sebastian helped you into the dress you are wearing now," he continued, pointing to the day dress that was the color of Ciel's normal eye, trimmed with darker blue lace around the hem and waist. "We'll leave in an about a half hour. Soma, Agni and Elizabeth will be meeting with us since it is their fan maker."

"She sent a late night message last night telling us that we are to meet her there," Sebastian stated, pouring some fresh tea for Ichigo, getting a thankful smile. "Grell will be acting as your personal servant too, so keep close to him if we are not nearby. Tanaka will also be with us so as to act as your family and keep things proper."

"Oh, okay," Ichigo hummed, looking over to Tanaka, getting a smile. "Do we have enough time for me to go to my room to get my new short cloak?" he asked.

"Of course. Don't dawdle though," Sebastian said, Ichigo nodding as he finished his tea and stood up, heading up the stairs. After a quick stop in the bathroom, which included some struggling with his skirt to hitch them up and a moment to wash his hands, he found his cloak before pausing to stare at a bloody red tie. He had been given it to go with his dark red riding dress but didn't like the brightness of it which meant that it stayed hanging on a hook.

He had noticed how unhappy Grell had seemed just before breakfast when William had said he had a few things to do and wouldn't be by for a few days and wanted to do something nice. Plucking the tie from the hook, he bounded down the stairs once more, black heels clicking on the stairs as he sent a smile to the polishing Mey-Rin.

"Grell, I have something for you," Ichigo chirped, padding up to the Grim Reaper who was messing with his black tie in the mirror in the main hall. "Here," he said, holding out the tie and making green eyes widen at the sight.

"Oh, it's so pretty!" Grell squealed, taking the tie from the other's hand and letting Sebastian put on the long arm gloves that Ichigo wore whenever his sleeves didn't come down and button at his wrist. "Where did you get it?" he asked.

"Well, it was supposed to go with my red riding dress but...it's too bright, I think, to go with such a dark dress," he admitted, smiling as Grell whipped off his black tie with a sound of pleasure and put the new tie on.

"It's perfect for me, Ichigo. It's absolutely lovely. But why did you give it to me?" he asked as he fiddled with the bow for a moment.

"Because you looked sad when your special friend told you he wasn't going to be able to come around for a few days," Ichigo replied sweetly, watching at Sebastian made sure his gloves covered his scars. To him, they represented something that he needed to remember to find out who had hurt him so much, but for the moment they were pink and weren't good to be seen in the public eyes.

Grell gazed at the young cross dresser before smiling and reaching out to pull him into a soft hug. "Thank you, Ichigo," he said as he released the blushing Ichigo and looking over his dress, tweaking a pleat so that it laid straight. "Come along, let's go get your fan's," he said, getting a shy smile from Ichigo. Sebastian sent him a thankful look as their two charges walked before them, Ichigo tucking his hand into the crook of Ciel's arm as Tanaka followed with a low chuckle.

Helping Ciel and Ichigo both into the carriage, letting Ichigo settle his skirt around him before getting in themselves, the two butlers smiled as Ichigo stared out of the window, Sebastian driving the carriage for them. Brown eyes took in the sights of the land outside of the Phantomhive gates as it gave way to the city very slowly, large mansions behind gates and trees few and far between before more and more houses started to appear. Shops started to appear more and more often along with marketplace stalls, Sebastian driving through the cleaner parts of the city.

They pulled up before a large building where Elizabeth, Agni and Soma were standing, smiling at them and looking rather happy to see them. "Ah, Ichigo, so nice to see you out and about," Elizabeth greeted as soon as Sebastian opened the door and helped him step out of the carriage.

"Thank you for inviting us here, Elizabeth," Ichigo replied, smiling and hugging the woman before bowing slightly to Soma and Agni. "It is also good to see you, Mr. Soma, Mr. Agni. I hope that you are well today."

"Yes, we are very well today, Miss. Ichigo," Soma chirped, beaming happily. "We were very happy to help you find a wonderful fan maker. His wife I believe weaves fabric too, including silk for what she has called...Ki-ki...Oh what was that word?"

"Kimonos, Mr. Soma?" Ichigo suggested, getting a beaming smile from the man.

"Yes, indeed, kimonos. They are from Japan from what I was told," Soma hummed, smoothing down his shirt. "I think that I told you that though."

"Yes, Mr. Soma, the last time we saw each other, when Elizabeth was helping me with my embroidery practice," Ichigo replied, smiling slightly.

"Shall we go in?" Grell asked as he and Tanaka stepped out, Ciel fixing his jacket next to Ichigo, content with not saying anything just yet.

"Yes, let's," Elizabeth giggled, taking Ichigo's hand and leading him into the building and up to the second floor. Ichigo gazed at the two shops that were on either side of the hallway, seeing that they were a bookstore and what he knew to be the Victorian equivalent of a Victorian office supply store. He had to wonder if they would have time to explore the bookstore and to get him more ink for his lessons. He rather liked the pretty dark blue ink that Ciel had given him as a gift for a job well done with his lessons last week and wanted a bit more, using it as a way to keep a journal of letter's to his family.

When they arrived at the store that they wanted on the second floor, taking up half of the floor while another store took up the other half, a man that looked to be in his mid 20's greeted them with an "Ohayogozaimasu. Welcome to my store," and a bow.

"Ohayogozaimasu," Ichigo replied, bowing lightly and blushing at the look of surprise.

"This is Ichigo, my friend, who is here from Japan to see her uncle, Tanaka," Elizabeth explained with a bright smile, getting a look from Ichigo at being called a she, despite the fact that he was hiding as one.

"It is a pleasure to meet another from Japan," the man stated, smiling at Ichigo and looking to the rest of his guests. "My name is Akio, and I own this shop. You are here for fans, or so Mrs. Elizabeth has told me," Akio said, getting a nod from Ciel.

"Yes. We have a special type of fan that we are looking for actually and Elizabeth has assured me that you are good and discrete," Ciel stated, nodding his head to Akio as the man bowed to him.

"I am. I need your name though and information so I may get in contact with you when they are done," Akio said, leading the group to a back room, Ichigo and Elizabeth sitting next to Ciel and Soma. Agni, Sebastian and Grell all stood nearby, watching as the Phantomhive head gave the details of where to send all messages and what they needed.

The fans were to be made of a lightweight metal inside, covered by painted silk dyed in red, black and a rich blue, the designs different. They left the designs on the cloth up to the man but did ask that a sandalwood box be provided for each of the fans to keep them smelling as if they were made from the wood. The parts that would be exposed would be covered in thin pieces of wood, hiding the metal and protecting it while also providing more scent to it. Sandalwood oil would also be provided to dab on them should it need to be done, or to be placed in the boxes.

Once they were done, they did stop by the two stores on the first floor, Ichigo beaming happily and holding a small box holding his new bottles of colored inks and a new journal since his other was starting to become a bit full with all of his adventures with the Phantomhive household. Sebastian, Grell and Agni all carried the books that Ciel, Ichigo and Elizabeth had bought. Tanaka just chuckled behind them, holding his ever present cup of tea and making them wonder just where he kept the darn thing.

Once they were back at the mansion, Elizabeth and her two lovers having gone to their own home, Ichigo went upstairs, changed into a different dress, one without so many layers, and came down to where Sebastian and Ciel were placing the books on a shelf in the study. He smiled sweetly and leant over the back of the couch that Ciel was sitting in, pressing a kiss to his cheek before doing the same to Sebastian.

As the two gazed at him in some surprise, he sat down on his couch, hummed and fell over onto his side with a yawn. It wasn't long before he was asleep and covered by a blanket, his first day out as Ichigo, Tanaka's niece, wearing him out. The two demons watched over him with soft looks, feeling the bond with him settle and completely solidify somewhere in the back of what could be considered their souls.

"You do realize that when he's mentally old enough, neither of you are leaving our room for a week minimum so that the bond can settle properly with him, right?" Sebastian asked, getting a snort as a book was shoved into his hands.

"Don't say such obvious things," Ciel stated.


	12. Traces and Secrets

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 13

Chapter title: Traces and Secrets

Characters: Taicho's of the Gotei 13, Iba, Hanataro, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika

Word Count: 1,780

AN: So we finally see what the other half is up to. :D *giggles* I had fun writing this chapter. :3 Especially since it was the ever loveable Affy-chan that sparked this particular plot point.

Until next week, ladies and germs! Enjoy.

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Sitting down in her chair before the collection of taichos, Unohana sighed softly and rubbed at her face, already tired and her day having just started. "Is everyone here?" she queried, getting a soft yes from her fukutaicho, Sasakibe. "Then go ahead and go to the fukutaicho's meeting for now. If there is something that must be said to them, I shall send you a butterfly."

"Yes, ma'am," Sasakibe stated, bowing before leaving through a back door, the taichos staring at her, still unused to having her leading them even nearly a year later. Yamamoto had ended up having something close to a heart attack when it had come out that Ichigo had been captured right after Isshin and his twin girls had gone into hiding with Ichigo's closest friends. To say they had been shocked to learn that Isshin was Yamamoto's child, thus making Ichigo, Yuzu and Karin his grandchildren was an understatement.

Since he had had the attack, he had stepped down to a more advisory role, appointing Unohana as the sou-taicho while Isane Kotetsu had been named the taicho of the Fourth with Hanataro Yamada was named fukutaicho.

"Alright, let us begin this meeting. Kurotsuchi-taicho, I was told you found an odd blip on the scans from the past four months or so?" Unohana asked, turning to the oddly dressed man. The twisted clown like face split into a grin that made even her uneasy even though she never once showed it.

"Yes, apparently the idiot that I had watching the scans missed it," Kurotsuchi stated, his voice grating on several of the taichos' nerves. They were all still strung tight and worried about the young Ichigo, wanting to try one more time in finding him, but knowing that Aizen and his people would just move Los Noches once more to a new spot. "A hollow, or something hollow like, opened a garganta. And not just any kind of garganta."

Unohana raised an eyebrow at the man as he paused, so smug and assured of his place. "Continue on with your report. I have much to do and not enough hours in the day unfortunately," she said, sounding sweet but with a backbone that made Kurotsuchi twitch.

"Yes, right," he stuttered before clearing his throat. He pressed a button and an image appeared on one of the walls, the taichos turning to it only to see a long tunnel like thing with two ends to it. "A black hole is probably the best example, at least the theory that there are two openings to the thing. But in this case, there are two openings to this garganta. One opening was far into the deserts of Hueco Muendo and the other is...somewhere. We do not know where but we are looking into it." He shifted and pressed the button again. "This garganta opened to a different branch of our reality and it took a very powerful hollow like creature to do so. Shinigami can do this but only with the specialized doorways to the other world's Spiritual Worlds."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Soi-Fon snarled, her eyes narrowed as Yoruichi glared heavily at the clown.

"It has everything to do with that boy," Kurotsuchi snarled back. "It had that creature that is a part of his soul's signature. It's a good thing that I recorded it or we would have never known it was his hollow that had opened it. How the creature knew how to open it I do not know," he stated, sniffing and finding it all boring outside of the fact that a rare garganta had been opened.

"Quiet," Unohana stated as everyone started to raise their voices, trying to get more details. "Kurotsuchi-taicho, are you looking for where the garganta went to?" she asked, lacing her fingers over her lap and braid.

Kurotsuchi cleared his throat and smoothed a hand down his taicho's haori. "Yes, we are working on it but it's going to take a bit of time to follow it. Then we shall need permission to go to the world, much less explore to find out if the boy is there."

"His name is Ichigo and you would do well to remember it before I test my skills on you," Yoruichi purred, gold-green eyes flashing at the man and making him go stiff before he returned to his place in line, the images disappearing. "So we just need to wait for the moment? Who will go after him?" she asked, crossing her arms under her bust line.

Unohana sighed and stood up. "Renji Abari, you, Soi-fon-taicho, Urahara-san and Muguruma-taicho shall go. If others are needed, I will assign them. We will not plan on bringing Ichigo back unless he is in imminent danger for now, but instead will see where he is and what he is doing," she stated, pinning every one of her taichos before nodding. "I shall send a butterfly to my own fukutaicho for him to tell yours. Kurotsuchi-taicho, keep me updated."

With that said, she left the meeting, breaking it apart and going to see Yamamoto in his home that was still on the grounds of the First Division. Knocking on the door to announce herself, she walked in and moved to the garden that the ex-taicho favored when he was thinking of his missing family. The man looked up as he stroked his beard, looking weary and much older than before.

"Kurotsuchi has found Shirosaki's energy signature. It looks as if Ichigo might have escaped from Aizen's hold and was taken to a branch universe," Unohana said, coming to kneel before him, taking his hands.

"Truly?" he asked, getting a nod. Yamamoto sighed and smiled lightly, eyes closing as hope bloomed in his heart at the thought of at least one of his grandchildren being found finally. "I am glad. Will they find him soon or must we wait longer?" he prodded.

"We must wait for a while longer. Kurotsuchi needs to follow the power line to where Shirosaki went and then we must ask for permission to search for Ichigo if he has not been found by the Spiritual World of the universe," Unohana said, smiling and rubbing at his hands. "But we have our first solid lead on him for the first time in over a year."

"We do, that we do. It warms me and gives me hope that we will be able to find him and that the others will come out of hiding finally," Yamamoto sighed, standing up, leaning on his zanpakuto. Unohana stood with him and walked with the older man, enjoying the quiet peace that was around him. "Perhaps we will be able to end this war once and for all before the next eclipse. When is it going to happen?"

"Next year, July I believe," Unohana stated, getting a nod. "So just over a year from now. Maybe sooner."

"I see. Not much time in the grand scheme of things then," Yamamoto hummed, fingers running over his beard as they paused before the patch of flowers that were a mix of the colors of his grandchildren's hair and eyes.

"Yes, but enough I would think," Unohana said, smiling as she reached out and caressed a petal of one flower the color of orange fire.

Elsewhere several people were gathered in the Eleventh division conference room, talking about what had been told and sharing information. Byakuya sighed and rubbed at his eyes as Ikakku, Renji and Iba all made noise about forcing, as they called him, the freaky ass clown into finding Ichigo faster.

"Shut up already!" Kensei growled, forcing everyone to go quiet as Shuuhei rolled his eyes and rubbed at his shoulders from behind him. "Thank you. Now let the pretty boy talk," the silver haired man grunted, sitting back and relaxing under the gentle touches of his lover.

"As I was saying before you all went crazy trying to get heard, he found the faint traces of Shirosaki's power signature which suggests that Ichigo was able to get away," Byakuya said, still rubbing his eyes as several of the people looked like they were ready to jump up and run to the Twelfth to force Kurotsuchi to work faster. They all knew that it would just piss off the man but that did not mean anything to them. They just wanted Ichigo back. "For now we bide our time and wait for news on where he is. We must do this by the book so we don't piss of any other Spiritual World. If we do that, you can kiss our peace treaties with them goodbye."

"My, my, Kuchiki-kun, you have been hanging out with me and Ikakku-kun much too often if you're talking like that," Yumichika purred, his violet eyes sparkling as Byakuya snorted and looked away a delicate blush spreading over his nose. "Are you going to come spend more time with us later?"

"Not now, Ayasegawa-san," Byakuya stated, trying hard not to let the blush spread even more, taking a slow, deep breath before he opened his eyes. "I have a feeling that Ichigo is fine where he is. At least in better hands then before when he was in Aizen's hands," he continued, sitting up straight in his chair. "For now though, I have something I must check on. I hope that our more rash members will behave?" he asked, pinning those he knew would run after Ichigo if they could have, getting sheepish smiles.

"I'll keep Ikkaku-kun on a leash," Yumichika chirped, making Ikkaku cough into one hand as Hanatoru sidled up beside his own lover, Iba smiling and rubbing at the back of his neck.

Renji pouted and crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. "We'll behave, taicho. I'll get back to the office too and finish the paperwork that doesn't need your signature as well," he promised.

"Thank you, Abari-fukutaicho," Byakuya stated, nodding his head before leaving and heading to the Kuchiki mansion. Waving off his personal servant, the clan head moved to the thick book that updated itself of names of living and past Kuchiki family members, and even those who had been stripped of the name. Those who had died were red, those who lived were black while those who had been stripped of the family name had a strike through them. Finding his half sisters line, he swallowed at the fact that his suspicions were proven correct and forced himself to close the book with a sigh.

It would seem as if he and one Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto had to talk about some very important information that he had kept away from him.


	13. Tasting the Sweets

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 14

Chapter title: Tasting the Sweet

Characters: Ciel, Sebastian, Ichigo, Grell, Pluto

Word Count: 1,687

AN: I love tormenting characters. So very much. And we're getting a bit of a taste for the future of this story.

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Ciel was having to remind himself, not for the first time in the last four months, that no matter how he looked, Ichigo was still mentally a young child. Ten years old mentally was not old enough for him to be imagining how pink lips would look around his length much less flushed and full from a biting kiss. Growling lowly to himself, he eyed the unicorn pop that Ichigo was laving with his tongue with some jealousy before turning to the candy samples that had been sent to him.

"This is called an...Abba-Zabba," he said, somehow, miraculously so, keeping the lust from his voice as he held up a simply covered taffy candy. "It apparently has a peanut butter center and is rather good," he continued. Ichigo hummed and looked at the candy in some interest before wrapping his unicorn sucker back up once more in some offered wax paper, setting it aside as Ciel unwrapped the taffy candy and cut the piece into two parts, handing one to Ichigo.

Sebastian smirked as he watched the two young men test new candies for Ciel's company, placing water next to them to help wash their mouths free of flavors. They were discovering just what kind of candies would make Ichigo moan and make happy sounds, which had included an odd chocolate taffy pop called BB Bats, Charleston Chews and, surprisingly enough, Honey Bits. The older demon was making a note to buy several of each of them when they started to come out in batches, knowing that Ciel was already planning on agreeing to the candies to be carried in his stores and created through his factories.

Grell was sitting in a corner, bright red tie at his throat once more as he sucked on an equally bright red Charms pop, his lips stained the color from the other one that he had finished off. He was preparing for the sugar rush to come and wanted to have that edge. Unlike how it would react for the two young men before them, the redheaded Grim Reaper would just have an extra boost to his normal stamina.

Ichigo looked up and smiled around the finger in his mouth as he sucked off a bit of taffy from it, his other hand reaching out for his brand new stuffed bunny that reminded him of Ciel. With a bright blue button eye and a little eyepatch, the gray bunny wore a tiny royal blue suit, and carried a black rabbit that had had the eyes replaced with the right shade of red button. The black rabbit had a little butler suit that was so detailed that Ciel wondered how Grell copied his family lapel and made Sebastian sniff in distaste.

Neither man were willing to take the stuffed rabbit though, thinking that it was sweet how happy the stuffed toy made Ichigo and that it was them in some form. What Ichigo didn't know was that Ciel had given Grell a search stone to place into the rabbit should Ichigo ever be taken and the bond couldn't find him. The longer the young man held the rabbit, the easier it got to use it to find him. The stone that was on the ring of the grey rabbit's finger was it and always seemed to swirl with blues, reds, and blacks, the shades of their powers.

"So how do you rate the Caramel Creams?" Ciel asked, clearing his throat as Ichigo pulled his finger out of his mouth with a soft blush and wiped it on a napkin handed to him by Sebastian.

"I like them. They would be a nice treat to have as an individual mixing candy," Ichigo replied as he gathered the small bits of candy wrappings from the table around them and tossed them into a small waste basket. "Though I do not think I like the JuJu Coins, but I do like those Jujyfruits that were flavored like fruits," he continued, pointing to said candies. "They were chewy and really nice. They would be nice as offered as an after lesson treat for children since I noticed that there wasn't much sugar in the recipe." He picked up the file for said candy and found the recipe card. "See? More juicy extract than anything."

"Wonderful idea, Ichigo," Grell chirped from his seat, holding the almost done sucker in his fingers as he twirled it. Ichigo blushed happily as he smiled shyly, looking down at his fingers and playing with his skirt. Ciel once more reminded himself that the beautiful male before him was still much too young for him to do anything just yet and Grell was likely to try to strangle him for doing so. Sebastian wondered if it was possible for him to make a strategic escape before he ended up breaking his role and dragging his lover off to work off the need that was curling.

"You are right, Grell," Ciel hummed, making notes before handing them to Sebastian. "Place that on my desk would you? They will join the other items that we create here in the main factory. Make another note to remind me that I must check on the construction status of the new wing of the factory," he continued, Sebastian writing that down. "I think for now though, I can see a sugar rush coming on for Ichigo. Grell, if you would be so kind as to take Ichigo outside and let him play with Pluto? I have a few things to...discuss with Sebastian."

Grell snorted and stood up, finishing the sucker and stole another one before taking Ichigo's hand to help him up and lead him out of the study. Giggling softly, Ichigo bounced after the other man and out into the backyard, Ciel coming to stand to watch the two, eyes narrowed at the Grim Reaper as he bounded after Ichigo as he went running after a happy Pluto.

"There is something to him that is different," Ciel drawled, feeling as there was more to Grell at the moment and had been since the night William had first visited.

"He's carrying a child, Ciel," Sebastian purred into one ear, getting wide eyes as Ciel gasped at the warm breath tickling his ear.

"Is he now? How do you suppose that happened?" Ciel breathed, pressing back into his lover and closing the curtains to the window as long fingers pulled off his jacket and was tossed away. He smiled when his foot was picked up and his shoe pulled off.

"Remember, little master, Demons and Grim Reapers aren't human. We may have been at one time or another but our bodies and systems have changed so very much that we aren't despite how we look," Sebastian hummed, removing his own shoes and then his gloves. "As for how...how about I show you how it happened," he purred, once more standing and pressing against Ciel's back.

Outside Ichigo giggled and chased after the large demon dog, pouncing on his neck when he stopped, panting and tail flying back and forth. "Pluto," he cooed happily, listening to the rumbling laugh deep in the other's chest.

"Someone gave you mass amounts of sugar," Pluto chuckled, licking his chops before going back to panting lightly.

"Mr. Ciel let me taste new candies for his factories and stores," Ichigo chirped, brown eyes bright as Grell smiled softly from a branch. He had already spoken with Ciel, Sebastian and William and was named as Ichigo's Governess until he either left for his world or was wooed into mating with the two demons. Whatever came first even though he had a feeling that the wooing would be first. "Miss. Grell," he called out, drawing the feminine male's eyes, "there's something different with you. With...with your power."

"With my power? How so?" Grell asked, tucking away the candy stick into his pocket and pulling out the other one, shoving it into his mouth, the taste of raspberries filling it.

"It's...different. Off. It feels kinda like what my mother's aura did when she was pregnant with the twins now that I think about it," Ichigo replied innocently as he turned Pluto, intent on braiding his fur. The demon dog just groaned and allowed it to happen as he stared at the surprised looking Grell.

"Ah...hell..." Grell muttered, covering his face as he shivered, remembering just what had happened to his last child with William. With eyes flashing, he made a note to send a letter to William and see Sebastian, since he had no doubt that the demon knew what to do to care for a pregnancy. He would not let this child disappear and die.

He would kill for this child. Looking down at the sweetly humming Ichigo, he smiled and placed his hand onto his stomach. And he had no doubt that Ichigo would help him and William do so. "Hey, Ichigo, when you're done with braiding Pluto's fur, do you want to go see Bardroy and Finnian in the main garden?" he called out.

A bright happy smile lit up Ichigo's face as he said, "Yes. That would be a lot of fun." Turning back to his braiding, he stood up once he was done and hugged on Grell's arm, talking a mile a minute about everything and nothing, the slightly preoccupied male listening and answering every so often. When they were done with their visit with the two new partners, Grell covering Ichigo's eyes at the sight of the two of them kissing when they had come across them, Ichigo was worn down and falling asleep.

Grell had to smile as he carried him up the stairs, wincing at the soft sounds that came from Sebastian in the bedroom next to Ichigo's. Once he stepped into the room he wanted, he sighed as the noises stopped and laid the completely out of it Ichigo, removing his shoes. As his charge slept, he rubbed at his stomach and thought of what it would mean to have a child and be able to keep it.

A small part of his soul started to heal.


	14. Learning of His Child

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 17

Chapter title: Learning of His Child

Characters:

Word Count:

AN: We're introducing more and more characters every posting. *chuckles*

Enjoy.

readers: **I say this again, I do NOT post any kind of smutty unless it's just a side quick glance. Any sex that is full on described tends not to be posted at all on this site. Go to Adultfanfiction or AO3 if you so wish to read uncensored stories. ****  
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It was a beautiful night, that much one Isshin Kurosaki could say as he lounged in a hammock, staring up at the sky as he gently swung back and forth, cigarette hanging from his fingers. He had taken up smoking his cigarettes at night, when the twins were in bed and being watched over by Kon or one of the other mod souls. They had run so long ago, having expected Ichigo to go to Soul Society and stash his body there, but when news of Ichigo's capture had reached them, they had moved again and hidden further away from Karakura Town.

Bringing the cigarette to his mouth, he took in a drag before slowly blowing it out, watching the smoke curl up before wafting away on a breeze. They had heard from Yourichi, the woman having decided to stay with Soul Society and feed them information, that a trail to Ichigo had been found. A few hours ago Urahara had gone into his communications room and hadn't come out yet, leaving Isshin to think of his beautiful child.

Ichigo had been such a bright, happy child, getting into his mother's closet often enough that Masaki had finally bought him a few of his own dresses that he liked to wear when they weren't in Karakura town. He had also learned how to crochet, embroider and sew, and had just started piano lessons with Masaki when she had been killed by Grand Fisher, leaving a small part of his mind and soul fractured.

After the funeral, Ichigo had grown up fast, taking on the mask of a strong little boy, his sisters taking their own places as the homemakers and the strong ones under their brother. The dresses had been put away, forgotten in a crawl space. Or so Ichigo would love them to believe despite the fact that they knew that he would pull them out and stare at them, pictures of him in them with Masaki and the sheet music that he had been learning. His practice piano was sold, a reminder of a time that none of them could stand to remember that first year, and Ichigo had become a tough boy.

Then things had gone to hell with the introduction of Rukia.

Granted, Ichigo had told him flat out that he would prefer to fight to save them all but still Isshin had worried and with good reason.

Aizen hated Isshin for beating him so often in so many ways. Isshin had barely been top during their school years; he had been good at Kido though, going back and forth in grades in that class. When they joined the ranks, it was Isshin who was first chosen for his first main division, rising through the ranks of the Second until he became the taicho of the Eighth. It took Aizen another four years to make fukutiacho and than taicho.

While Aizen was starting to build his little plan, Isshin had met Masaki, spotting her for the reborn new soul that she was but still falling in love hard. He hadn't been hunted down after he had left, his father knowing why he was leaving, how he was leaving and requesting an occasional letter and pictures of his life. Aizen knew he would have been hunted down and dragged back if he had done so.

It had lead to Aizen hating him even more.

"Isshin," Urahara drawled nearby, dragging Isshin out of his rather dark thoughts as the man snuffed out his cigarette.

"You have news?" he asked, sitting up slightly in his hammock, black eyes curious as his friend smiled from under his hat.

"I have news," Urahara stated as he came to lay next to Isshin, feet next to his friends side, and shoved his hat back enough to look at his friend with a pleased smile. "About Ichigo." Those two words made Isshin sit up fast enough to turn the hammock around so that the two landed on the ground with a moan. "Must you do that?" he moaned, trying to kick at Isshin.

Isshin just ignored the kick and his pain, and straddled Urahara's lap, grabbing his green haori and hauling him close. "What did you just say?" he asked, his eyes bright with his excitement.

"May-chan found a trail of Shirosaki's power and was able to follow it to where they went to. Apparently it is a side world that is still set in the Victorian Ages where demons roam free," Urahara stated, smirking up at his friend and sometimes lover. "Ichigo landed in the laps of two very powerful demons who work for their Queen. We need to go to their Spiritual World to even think of seeing Ichigo but they're coming tomorrow morning," he continued.

Isshin whooped with joy before grabbing Urahara's face between his hands and placing a sloppy kiss onto his friend's mouth, pulling away with a bright smile. "That means my baby boy was able to escape that psycho's clutches and is now well and truly protected. Aizen wouldn't be so stupid as to go up against two powerful demons, especially if they have the backing of a ruler in that world," he cackled, eyes wide and smile wider.

"Precisely," Urahara chuckled, placing his hands onto the other's hips and nudging him to stand up from the ground. "Come on, let me show you where we are to go. I have some visuals of Ichigo. I think what you're about to see will surprise you though," he said, being pulled up from the ground by an excited Isshin. Shaking his head and picking up his hat, he shoved it back onto his head and led the other man into the communications and computer room.

Making Isshin sit down in a chair, he pulled up the pictures that he had taken, most of them of a large, sprawling estate with a miniature forest, large bits of flowers and green grass and lovely tree's that bloomed in various colors. Changing them, he smirked at the face that his friend pulled at the giant, yawning demon dog that was lounging in the sun, as a pretty blond man worked on some flowers, a man in a chefs shirt watching him with a smile.

"I think these two are part of the household," Urahara said, pointing to the two men, "and this big puppy is a guardian of the estate. Then we have the two demons, one acting much like a butler really." He flipped the pictures to two dark haired men. One was wearing an eye patch, blue eye gazing over at something as he fixed the royal blue jacket that he was wearing. The other had longish hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and wore a black butler's uniform and white gloves.

"And Ichigo?" Isshin asked, looking at Urahara with a raised eyebrow, ready to strangle the man for making him wait.

"Is a surprise, let me tell you," Urahara snorted, reaching around Isshin once more and pulling up several shots of Ichigo in full dress. It was a simple dress with a loose skirt, the corset creating hips and chest where there wasn't really one but it was elegant all the same.

The skirt, from what they could tell, was a burned black velvet layered deal, falling around Ichigo's feet, which peeked out with simple black heels. The top layer was a delightful mix of black lace and purple soft fabric. The arms came down to his elbows, some of the black lace falling down to his wrists from there while black lace trailed up and down the top part. On each side were panels of bunched black lace. The vibrant red hair was pulled back into an elegant bun that was covered by a black net, a single purple jewel hanging from it as elegant curls surrounded his face. He was pulling on a pair of gloves that came up to his elbows, covering still pink scars.

"My baby boy..." Isshin whimpered, Urahara swallowing and moving away just in case Isshin, for some odd reason, became violent. "My baby boy is so GORGEOUS! I ALWAYS KNEW HE WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL IF HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO HEAL AND BE HIMSELF!" Isshin cried out, hugging the screen, tears cascading down his face.

Urahara sighed and cleared his throat. "Apparently May-chan is going to print out pictures of Ichigo so we all know how he looks...so..."

"What? That perverted freak of a third seat is perving out over my beautiful baby boy?!" Isshin cried, his eyes promising death to the current taicho of the Twelfth division.

"I really doubt that he is perving out on your child," Urahara replied, not mentioning that the first time he had seen the pictures of Ichigo, he had to have a very cold shower and remind himself that his friend's child was out of his league. "He barely likes Ichigo as it is. Now, I am going to see him but I thought you would like to come with. Unohana has approved your pass, but our first stop will end up being to their Spiritual World to get passes. I have a feeling that they know about us though and will stall for a short time. Not that May-chan will know this."

"What do you mean by that?" Isshin asked, going back to a somewhat normal attitude, sitting down again as Urahara reached out and pressed a button bringing up the pictures of two different men. One had neatly combed black hair and a pair of black rimmed glasses, wearing a neat black suit while the other wore a butler's uniform with a bloody red tie that matched his equally bloody red hair.

"It seems that Ichigo has Grim Reapers hanging around to and one is acting as his Governess," Urahara drawled.

Isshin blinked several times before pointing to the two Grim Reapers and said, "You know, they remind me of that Abarai kid." Urahara blinked in response and looked at the pictures of the two, tilting his hat back with one thumb.

"Well, I'll be damned, they do," he breathed, shaking his head with a smirk. "Wanna make a bet?" Isshin smirked and pulled out a mini notebook with a pen.


	15. Dresses, Trips and Greetings

Title: Sing Me a Lullabye

Fandom: Bleach/Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

Chapter: 18

Chapter title: Dresses, Trips and Greetings

Characters: Kensei, Soi-fon, William, Renji, Isshin, Urahara

Word Count: 1,950

AN: And we're a bit late with this one but I have finally posted this chapter. I do hope that you enjoy this.

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Smiling at the group that was to head to the side world, Urahara waved his fan before his face, eyes gazing out from under the brim of his hat, already in his period clothes that Tessai had amazingly created overnight. He was wearing a simple pair of lean black trousers that sat over simple black, lace up shoes with a slight heel to them. His jacket was a dark green that went well with the lighter green vest and dark green embroidered puff tie that was held in place by a small tie chain. All around, he looked like a distinguished gentleman, blond hair and scruffy chin notwithstanding.

Isshin was wearing a dark blue vest under a black jacket and over a white shirt, a matte black puff tie sitting at his neck. He had decided to go with more subdued colors, hair free of gel and falling down in neat little waves. His daughters had smirked at him and asked Tessai if he would make them period dresses for when they were finally able to go and see their older brother.

"Ahhh, Kensei, so nice to see you," Urahara chuckled, tilting his head with a smirk eyes gleaming as the man smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"Did you have to do six consecutive gate jumps to get us here?" Kensei asked, not looking visibly shaken by the jumps. Then again, he was more than used to it happening, the others not so much. Renji groaned softly behind him, bending over and hands on knees as he tried to take a slow breath to steady himself. Soi-Fon was swallowing heavily as she closed her eyes and tried not to hurt someone to stop the rolling in her stomach.

"Yes, I did, my dear Kensei," Urahara chuckled as he snapped his fan closed and stuck it into an inside pocket. "If you can all get into your gigais and change into the clothes provided, we can leave here soon. As for the multiple jumps, it was the only way to stop anyone from following you to here. We can't have the girls getting hurt because we were careless after all," he stated.

"I see," Kensei replied, smirking as he headed into the room where his and Renji's gigais waited for them. The two men slipped into theirs easily and looked at the offered clothing, eyebrows rising at the pristine white shirts, bracers, ties, vest, pants, shoes and various accessories before shrugging and dressing. It was as they were putting on their cufflinks that a screech that could only be one made out of female outrage broke through the shoten, making them blink.

Looking at each other, Renji shrugged and started to pull his hair back into a braid as they left the room, not bothering with the black jackets that laid on their beds for the moment. They walked out into the main room where they found Soi-Fon in her gigai and wearing a simple pair of jeans and shirt, holding what they could only guess was a dress, waving it before the innocently smiling shop keeper.

"What the fuck is this!?" she screeched, waving the dress around. Isshin was watching, sipping a cup of coffee as Yuzu and Karin watched from their perches on the bar stool, dressed and ready for school.

"It's your period dress, Soi-Fon-san," Urahara chirped, rubbing the back of his head. "You see, the world we are about to go to is a reboot world, having to restart sometime in its past at a certain point that is. And their current time is the Victorian ages where it's only proper for women to wear dresses, such as this. Just be glad that Tessai was able to make it look like you're wearing a corset instead of having to wear one."

"I think it looks very pretty and well done," Yuzu chirped from her place perched on the bar stool, finishing her breakfast and sliding down to the floor. Soi-Fon blinked several times, surprised at how grown up the youngest of the three Kurosaki siblings looked, even with pigtails and an adorable barrette attached to one.

"Ahh...Oh, yes," she said, watching as the twins left with their bags, Tessai following after them as their appointed guardian while their father was gone. "And you! What do you mean Victorian ages?" she hissed, looking almost ready to tear the dress apart.

"I mean that it is England in the late 1820's under the rule of one Queen Victoria and we do not need you to stick out any more than necessary, Soi-Fon-san," Isshin stated, shrugging one shoulder with a smirk. "As you can see, we're all dressing our parts until we can find out what story Ichigo has come up with to explain his presence," he continued, crossing his legs, ankle resting on his knee as he smirked.

"We will go meet with the one who is watching over Ichigo's case and he'll start the paperwork, but he did send a note this morning stating that it could take a while to go through. He would also need permission to take us to see Ichigo considering who he is staying with," Urahara said, moving to sit down. Soi-Fon snarled and turned on her heel, stomping into her room and slamming the door shut.

Once she had come back out in a simple day dress, a dark blue with black lacing around the bottom of the short sleeves and a loose skirt that fluttered around her feet, he sat back and smirked at the fact that she had also pulled her hair into a braid and wrapped the braid into a bun. Sighing, Urahara pushed back his hat and reached down beside him as Renji and Kensei gathered their jackets and came to sit down, watching as the blond man handed over two boxes to Soi-Fon. One turned out to be a hat box, the woman glaring at him before allowing Isshin to put it on for her properly so she could get used to it and tugged on the gloves found in the other box.

"At least the colors are acceptable," she snarled, eyes narrowing at him. "I will trap you one way or another and I will torture you for this travesty."

"I think you look very pretty, Soi-Fon-san, and I know for a fact that it was Yourichi that chose the outfit," Urahara chuckled. They all smirked as Soi-Fon flushed ever so slightly at the thought of her mentor and friend having chosen the dress that she was wearing.

"I will still torture you," she stated firmly, getting amused smiles from the others.

"As I was saying, our contact will need to get permission from Ichigo's current caretakers to go see him," Urahara drawled, Renji leaning forward as he tugged at his red vest a bit to get it to sit properly.

"What do you mean by that? By needing to get permission from his caretakers? Aren't they human?" he asked, fiddling with the matte black necktie that he wore, getting it to puff properly around his neck.

"No, they are not. From our contact's note, they are a mated pair of high class demon's who put Aizen to shame with their power but they work for this Queen Victoria as her 'watch dogs', so to speak," Urahara drawled, watching as Soi-Fon fussed with her heeled shoes, getting them on and tied. "So we need their permission to even think of stepping foot on their property, much less to see Ichigo and from what I understand, they are quite protective of our dear Ichi."

"If it turns out they have Ichigo in their bed, I know a few people who are gonna be mad," Kensei snorted, Isshin smirking brightly at the man.

"I fully approve if the two demons have somehow wooed my dear son. Just wait until you see why I agree with that happening," he said, barking out a laugh as he tossed his head back in amusement.

"You know something and you're not bragging?" Kensei teased as they all stood up, a brightly colored moth floating through and landing on Urahara's ear, the man tilting his head to the side.

"Of course I know something, and I'm not bragging because it's my son's place to tell ya," Isshin snorted, gazing at Urahara.

"William, our contact, will meet us now. To the gate room, please," Urahara said happily, leading them to a room where a large free standing stone door waited for them. They all looked at the man, wondering just if he was nuts as he placed the brightly colored moth on a small button and watched it sink into the button. "Turn to the door please," he chirped, joining the group as the door started to light up with various colors.

"And here we go," Isshin chuckled as the door swung towards them, leaving behind a large portal of light. "Do remember, be polite," he said, eying Soi-Fon and getting an unhappy pout from the woman before the group walked through and ended up in a large library. Looking around, they were surprised by how many books there were and wondered what the titles were.

"Welcome to the Grim Reapers' library, where we store all of the stories of the lives that have come and will come," William greeted as he walked down the stairs to where the group stood. "Please do not touch the cinematic records. It is so hard to get them to stay in place most times and would just add to my paperwork."

"Ahh, you must be, William. I am Kisuke Urahara. This is Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo's father, Kensei Muguruma, the taicho of the Ninth division, Soi-Fon, taicho of the Second division and Renji Abari, fukutaicho of the sixth division," Urahara introduced waving to each person with a bright smile. William hummed softly, eyes narrowing as he stared at Renji long enough to make the man shift on his feet and blush.

"I see. I am William T. Spears, head Grim Reaper. If you would be willing to follow me, I will get you started on the paperwork. While you fill it out, I will go speak with Ciel and Sebastian about seeing young Ichigo. I do not promise that you will be able to see him in the next few days though," he warned, mind working over an interesting thought about Renji. Turning on his heel, he led the way out of the library and to a conference room. Once the paperwork had been handed out along with coffee, pens, and snacks, he smoothed down his vest and checking his watch. "If you will excuse me, I will go speak with them now. If I am not back by the time you are done with the paperwork, one of my assistants shall come gather you and show you to your rooms. I do hope you brought another set of clothes."

"Of course, I made sure to pack plenty," Urahara chuckled, patting his shirt pocket where a small subspace like pocket sat. It had limited storage but it would do for them at the moment.

"Very good. If you'll excuse me," William drawled, bowing to the group before disappearing out the door, wanting desperately to talk with his lover about their not so dead child and to speak with Ichigo about seeing the group.


End file.
